Learn Why NASA’s Artemis I Mission Will Take Snoopy to the Moon…

Snoopy will be outfitted in NASA’s Orion Crew Survival System suit during the mission.

KEY POINTS
Throughout the flight, Snoopy will act as a zero gravity indicator.
Snoopy has previously collaborated with NASA.
The lunar module of Apollo 10 was dubbed “Snoopy” in 1969.

Early in the new year, NASA will launch its inaugural Artemis mission to the Moon, carrying the beloved and endearing character Snoopy from Peanuts. In the Peanuts comic strips created by the late Charles M. Schulz, Snoopy became the first beagle in history to set foot on the moon in 1969. It is going extraterrestrial once more, but this time it will be real, over 60 years later. The Orion spacecraft will use a stuffed Snoopy as a zero gravity indicator while it circles the Moon. NASA’s unmanned Artemis I mission aims to evaluate its deep space exploration systems.

Snoopy will be outfitted in NASA’s Orion Crew Survival System suit during the mission. The materials used to create the tiny orange suit are the same ones that astronauts on upcoming Artemis missions will wear. NASA tweeted a picture of Snoopy dressed as an astronaut, stating that he “is no stranger to space.”

NASA and Snoopy have been friends for fifty years. Since the Apollo era, it has served as a mascot for spaceflight safety. The lunar module known as “Snoopy” was assigned the nickname during the 1969 Apollo 10 mission because its task was to “snoop around” the Moon’s surface in search of a landing site for the upcoming Apollo 11 mission. Schulz also produced comic strips featuring Snoopy on the moon around the same period. They played a part in generating public interest in space missions.

“I had a great time watching the Apollo 10 mission with my dad, who was very proud to have his characters involved in this historic space exploration,” said Craig Schulz, Space.com’s producer and son of cartoonist Charles Schulz. “I know he would be ecstatic to see Snoopy and NASA join together again to push the boundaries of human experience.”

According to NASA, zero gravity indicators give a visual cue when a spacecraft has attained microgravity, or weightlessness.

NASA is attempting to land a woman and a person of color on the moon as part of the Artemis program. Future missions to Mars will use the Artemis missions as a springboard. A permanent base on the Moon will be possible thanks to the first Artemis mission.

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