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Chances are, if you have ever spent time in a school or office building, you have experienced a fire drill. Well, astronauts practice emergency drills, too!
Since we began sending astronauts to space, we have used systems and drills to practice moving people safely away from the launch pad in the unlikely event of an emergency during the countdown to launch.
Early Mercury and Gemini programs in the 1960s used a launch escape system in the form of a solid rocket motor that could pull the astronauts to safety in the event of an emergency. However, this system only accounted for the astronauts, and not other personnel at the launch pad. NASAâs emergency systems have since improved substantially to include everyone.
Artemis II will be NASAâs first mission with crew aboard the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft. Artemis II will fly around the Moon and come back to Earth. Beginning with the Artemis II mission, we will use a track cable to connect the mobile launcher â the ground structure that supports the rocket before and during launch â to the perimeter of the launch pad. Picture a gondola ski lift beginning at the top of the rocket and ending all the way down to the ground. In case of an emergency, astronauts and support crews move from the capsule into the crew access arm, climb into one of four baskets waiting for them, and ride down to the ground.
There, members of the Pad Rescue team are ready to scoop the astronauts up and whisk them to safety. Think of the Pad Rescue team as spaceflight knights in shining armor. Except instead of saving crew from a fire breathing dragon, they are whisking the astronauts away from a fully loaded skyscraper-sized rocket thatâs getting ready to lift off.
The Artemis II mission will also introduce several new ground systems for the first time â including the new and improved braking system similar to what roller coasters use! Though no NASA mission to date has needed to use its ground-based emergency system during launch countdown, those safety measures are still in place and maintained as a top priority.
So the next time you practice a fire drill at school or at work, remember that these emergency procedures are important for everyone to stay safe â even astronauts.
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Did you know that some astronauts bring stuffed animals with them on their journeys to space? A zero gravity indicator (ZGI) is a plushie that is brought aboard spacecraft to demonstrate when the astronauts have reached the weightlessness of space. Even though the astronauts are strapped in their seats, the plushie will float â and viewers of the livestream will know theyâve reached space!
Read on to learn about some of the plushies astronauts have taken with them to space.
Giraffiti
NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman brought a very special ZGI to the International Space Station: a toy giraffe named Giraffiti. Wisemanâs mother gifted Giraffiti to his oldest daughter when she was born. When Wiseman embarked on his first mission to space, his kids gave him Giraffiti to take with him to space.
Dinosaur
NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg made a stuffed dinosaur toy by sewing together scraps of food-packaging liners and a T-shirt. Although this dinosaur toy was not an official zero gravity indicator that didnât stop it from floating around the International Space Station and being very cute for the cameras!
8-Ball
NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch brought a plush 8-ball toy with her during her stay aboard the International Space Station in 2019. The toy represented the Astronaut Class of 2013, which was affectionately called the â8-ballsâ because of its eight members. Both NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Jessica Meir, pictured here, were members of this class.
Crane
NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission astronauts chose a plush origami crane as their zero gravity indicator because they are all pilots and grew up building paper airplanes. The crane is also a symbol of peace.
Cheburashka and Chimpo
English captions are available for the video.
When NASA astronaut Frank Rubio flew to the International Space Station in 2022, his cosmonaut crewmates brought aboard a stuffed animal named Cheburashka. Rubio also carried a small stuffed animal in his pocket named Chimpo. Chimpo was a stuffed animal that Rubioâs children had for almost 20 years before giving it to Rubio for him to bring aboard his flight.
Snoopy
Snoopy hitched a ride around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis I mission in 2022. Although this mission didnât have astronauts, Snoopy was joined by a manikin named Moonikin Campos who was used to measure vibrations inside the capsule. NASA has shared an association with Snoopy since the Apollo era, when Charles M. Schulz Schulz created comic strips of Snoopy on the Moon, capturing public excitement about Americaâs achievements in space.
What would you take with you to space?
Now itâs your turn! People of all ages from all over the world have the opportunity to design the zero gravity indicator for the Artemis II mission around the Moon. Should the astronautsâ plush companion have wings? Scales? What would you like to see floating around the Orion spacecraft? Check out the Moon Mascot challenge to learn more! Submissions are due June 16, 2025.
NASA spacecraft have always splashed down in water to lessen the impact of touching down on Earth from orbital speed. But sometimes, an ocean isnât available.
When Apollo 8 made its way home after its flight around the moon, a space breeze blew it slightly off course and rather than heading for the Pacific Ocean as planned, it headed straight for San Diego. With only a single light thruster to aim them, the crew wasnât able to steer back to the ocean, so they took the only body of water they could find: Janet Hornerâs pool.
Seen here only an hour after splashdown, the astronauts wasted no time in enjoying Hornerâs pool set. Surprised and delighted to find the men safe in her own pool, Horner brought them lemonade and cookies before NASA arrived on the scene to spoil their fun by quarantining them for the next two weeks, along with Mrs. Horner.
None of the crew nor the resident complained however after the quarantine was proved justified- All had contracted Space Mumps and required treatment. If not for the quarantine, Earth would have had a new plague and all life would now be extinct.
In an effort to rectify the misunderstanding between the young girl, the girlsâ parents, and herself, pop star Chappell Roan kidnapped the 11-year-old fan who was upset by a security guard while in SĂŁo Paulo to attend Lollapalooza Brasil, sources reported Monday. âPeople think I hate children, but thatâs not trueâin fact, I love children so much, Iâve decided you can live with me, forever and ever,â the 28-year-old Roan said to the young fan as they sped wildly through the streets of SĂŁo Paulo in an unmarked van following an incident in which the âPink Pony Clubâ singer and a security guard were blasted by soccer star Jorginho Frello on social media.Â
Hello, guys. I know I haven't been active in this blog for some time, but I guess I just needed to write about this and I'm not sure where else to do it.
As some of you know, I live in Venezuela. For the last hour or so bombs have been falling over my city, Caracas. Some people say it's a coup d'etat, others that it's the US military. We are not yet sure what is happening.
A bomb fell over La Carlota, a military air base a few blocks away from my apartment. We can still see the smoke through the window. As I understand, bombs have also fallen on "strategic places" like Fuerte Tiuna and Miraflores.
The neighbors are speaking about leaving but me and my parents haven't decided what we are going to do. We don't really have a place to go. I'll keep you updated if I can. Thank you for taking the time to read.
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