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8-Year-Old Lucas Ye's Design Joins NASA's Artemis II

4/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Lucas Ye, an eight-year-old from Mountain View, California, designed Rise for NASA's Artemis II.
Rise was inspired by Apollo 8's Earthrise and selected from more than 2,600 entries worldwide.
It will float in the Orion crew capsule to signal weightlessness.
The Artemis II crew, including Christina Koch (NASA astronaut) and Reid Wiseman (NASA astronaut), welcomed Rise aboard during a ceremony at Kennedy Space Center.

History

Historical Context

The iconic Earthrise photograph, taken by astronaut Bill Anders during Apollo 8's lunar orbit on December 24, 1968, transformed public perception of Earth and sparked the environmental movement. This legacy continues with NASA's Artemis II mission, which received over 2,600 entries, highlighting global interest in space exploration and innovation, as exemplified by Lucas Ye's design, Rise, symbolizing weightlessness in the Orion capsule.

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Story summary

Lucas Ye, an eight-year-old from Mountain View, California, designed Rise for NASA's Artemis II.
Rise was inspired by Apollo 8's Earthrise and selected from more than 2,600 entries worldwide.
It will float in the Orion crew capsule to signal weightlessness.
The Artemis II crew, including Christina Koch (NASA astronaut) and Reid Wiseman (NASA astronaut), welcomed Rise aboard during a ceremony at Kennedy Space Center.

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