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Helga and Zohar are back in Cologne after their trip to space.Photo: DLRNASA’s Artemis 1 mission may not have had real astronauts on board the Orion capsule, but there was an inanimate crew that went on the lunar trip. Two of the manikins that took part in the inaugural mission have been returned to their home in Germany, where the data they collected will be used to design ways to mitigate the effects of radiation on astronauts. On November 16, 2022, the Orion capsule lifted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center,…

The Snoopy zero-gravity indicator following the Artemis 1 mission. Photo: NASAWe would be remiss not to mention the Snoopy zero-gravity indicator, which also came along for the ride. The plush doll, wearing an Orion spacesuit, was inside the crew cabin during Artemis 1and could be seen floating around the capsule alongside Campos. “NASA has held an association with Snoopy since the Apollo Era—the character has contributed to the excitement for NASA human spaceflight missions, helping inspire generations to dream big,…

Artist’s conception of an SLS launch. Image: NASANASA’s most powerful rocket is nearly ready to send an uncrewed Orion capsule on a 42-day journey to the Moon and back, but this deceptively straightforward plan involves a ton of moving parts—including a harrowing 5,000-degree reentry through Earth’s atmosphere. Here’s what you can expect from this historic mission, called Artemis 1, as NASA officially ushers in the Artemis era.When will NASA’s SLS launch?NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) departed the Vehicle Assembly…