2026年4月10日 / 美国东部时间上午11:33 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
作者
克里·布林 新闻编辑
绕月背面飞行的四名宇航员将于周五返回地球。与他们一同归来的还有一只名为“瑞斯”（Rise）的毛绒玩具，这只任务吉祥物在阿尔忒弥斯二号任务期间发挥了重要作用，同时在网络上走红。
瑞斯的研发工作早在阿尔忒弥斯二号开启历史性任务的一年多前就已启动。2025年3月，美国国家航空航天局（NASA）与全球最大的众包平台Freelancer合作举办设计竞赛，为任务挑选吉祥物。获胜作品不仅要可爱柔软，还需充当零重力指示器，在机组人员进入失重状态时发出信号。
根据Freelancer发布的新闻稿，参赛设计必须符合严格的参数要求：尺寸不得超过6×6×6英寸，重量不超过12盎司，只能使用指定材料制作，并且要“代表人类、探索精神以及阿尔忒弥斯计划的理念”。
二年级学生卢卡斯·叶决定参赛。他在Freelancer的新闻稿中表示，最初的几个想法“都不太可行”。经过“一番头脑风暴”后，他构思出了后来成为瑞斯的设计方案。
卢卡斯·叶绘制瑞斯的设计图。图源：Freelancer
据Freelancer介绍，这只毛绒玩具的每一处设计都呼应了太空历史时刻：圆润的白色身体代表月球，背部的小脚印致敬尼尔·阿姆斯特朗1969年登月的壮举。玩具的帽子灵感来自阿波罗8号任务拍摄的“地出”照片，遮阳板和帽檐装饰有星系和火箭图案，设计中还融入了猎户座星座——阿尔忒弥斯二号宇航员乘坐的舱段正是以猎户座命名的。
卢卡斯手绘了设计图，随后亲手制作了原型。据Freelancer透露，2025年6月竞赛投稿截止时，平台共收到来自50多个国家的2605份参赛作品。同年8月，主办方选出25份入围作品，其中就包括瑞斯的设计。当时卢卡斯告诉Freelancer，如果瑞斯被选中，他会“兴奋到爆棚”。
最终共有5份设计进入最后角逐，随后由阿尔忒弥斯二号机组人员选出最心仪的作品。不出所料，瑞斯脱颖而出。
卢卡斯·叶制作瑞斯原型。图源：Freelancer
在NASA发布的幕后制作视频中，阿尔忒弥斯二号飞行员维克多·格洛夫表示，挑选吉祥物是个“艰难的决定”。任务专家克里斯蒂娜·科赫称，瑞斯所承载的历史典故帮助它赢得了机组人员的青睐。
“它的设计灵感来自阿波罗8号拍摄的地出照片，这对我们机组人员来说意义非凡。”科赫说道。阿尔忒弥斯二号机组人员拍摄的“地落”照片，也与这张标志性照片形成了呼应。
据NASA介绍，本次任务使用的瑞斯玩偶由位于马里兰州格林贝尔特的戈达德航天飞行中心热防护毯实验室制作。该实验室通常负责制造保护精密设备的定制材料，因此瑞斯也必须符合NASA的安全标准。
技术员帕梅拉·凯恩结合机器缝制和手工缝制工艺制作了这只吉祥物，还特意加装了一个口袋，用来存放一张微型SD卡，卡内存储了超过560万名通过NASA“随阿尔忒弥斯寄送姓名”活动提交的参与者姓名。
瑞斯在阿尔忒弥斯二号任务的太空舱内。图源：NASA
4月1日，瑞斯被固定在猎户座舱内，与阿尔忒弥斯二号机组人员一同升空。卢卡斯和家人在肯尼迪航天中心观看了发射过程。
“我们从没想过能有机会参与这项任务，”卢卡斯的父亲告诉Freelancer，“这对我们来说意义重大，尤其是卢卡斯一直对太空和火箭充满热情。对整个家庭来说，这都是一项意义非凡的项目。”
随着阿尔忒弥斯二号舱内拍摄的视频流出，瑞斯迅速成为网络热点。本周一，阿尔忒弥斯二号机组创下了人类离地球最远飞行距离的纪录。随着机组人员于周五返回地球，瑞斯最终将落回地面，标志着重力环境恢复正常。
阿尔忒弥斯二号机组人员——从左至右顺时针依次为：克里斯蒂娜·科赫、杰里米·汉森、指挥官里德·怀斯曼和维克多·格洛夫——在返航途中于猎户座舱内与零重力指示器瑞斯合影。图源：NASA
Freelancer未透露机组人员返航后瑞斯的去向。猎户座舱预计将在太平洋海域溅落。
卢卡斯告诉Freelancer，这次经历让他萌生了未来的梦想：“去NASA工作”并“成为一名宇航员”。
How an 8-year-old designed a zero-gravity indicator for Artemis II
April 10, 2026 / 11:33 AM EDT / CBS News
By
Kerry Breen News Editor
The four astronauts who traveled around the far side of the moon will return to Earth on Friday. With them will be a plush toy named Rise, a mission mascot who became a viral sensation while serving an important role aboard Artemis II.
Rise’s development began more than a year before Artemis II blasted off for its historic trip. In March 2025, NASA partnered with Freelancer, the world’s largest crowdsourcing company, to run a design contest to lead to the mascot’s design. The winner didn’t just have to be cute and cuddly: It also needed to serve as a zero-gravity indicator that would signal when the crew reached weightlessness.
Designs had to fit into tough parameters, according to a news release from Freelancer. It had to fit in a 6x6x6-inch box and weigh no more than 12 ounces. It could only be made with specific materials, and it had to “represent humanity, exploration, and the spirit of the Artemis campaign,” according to Freelancer.
Second-grader Lucas Ye decided to take part. Some early ideas “didn’t really work out,” he said in Freelancer’s news release. After “some brainstorming,” he came up with the design that would become Rise.
Lucas Ye works on the design that would become Rise. Freelancer
Each aspect of the plush references a moment in space history, according to Freelancer: The round white body represents the moon, and a tiny footprint on the back references Neil Armstrong’s arrival there in 1969. The toy’s cap is inspired by Apollo 8’s “Earthrise” photo, and its visor and brim are decorated with a galaxy and rockets. The constellation Orion is also featured in the design. Orion is the name of the capsule used by the Artemis II astronauts.
Lucas sketched the design, then built a prototype himself, according to Freelancer. When submissions for the contest closed in June 2025, the company reviewed 2,605 entries from more than 50 countries. In August, Freelancer selected 25 finalists, including Rise. At the time, Lucas told Freelancer that he would feel “hyperactive” if Rise was actually selected.
Five designs were shortlisted. Then the Artemis II crew picked their favorite. Of course, it wound up being Rise.
Lucas Ye creates a prototype of Rise. Freelancer
In a NASA behind-the-scenes video showing Rise’s production, Artemis II pilot Victor Glover said selecting the design was a “difficult decision.” Mission specialist Christina Koch said that Rise’s historical references helped win them over.
“It was a design inspired by the Earthrise photo taken on Apollo 8, which is very special to our crew,” Koch said. Among the photos the Artemis II crew captured was an “Earthset” image that mirrors that iconic photo.
The version of Rise that was used in the mission was crafted by NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, according to NASA. Usually, the lab builds custom materials to protect fragile equipment. Rise had to meet NASA’s safety standards.
Technician Pamela Cain used a mix of machine and hand-sewing techniques to put the mascot together. She also needed to add a pocket so Rise could hold a micro SD card that contained more than 5.6 million names submitted through NASA’s “Send Your Name with Artemis” campaign.
Rise in space aboard Artemis II. NASA
On April 1, Rise was tethered inside the Orion capsule with the Artemis II astronauts. Lucas and his family watched Artemis II’s launch from the Kennedy Space Center.
“We never thought we got an opportunity to be part of this mission,” Lucas’ father told Freelancer. “This is really meaningful to us, especially since Lucas has such a passion about space and rockets. It’s a very meaningful project for the whole family.”
Rise became a sensation as the mascot floated through videos taken aboard Artemis II. On Monday, the Artemis II crew set a record for the farthest humans have ever travelled from Earth. As the crew returns to Earth on Friday, Rise will eventually drop back to the ground to indicate gravity has returned.
The Artemis II crew – clockwise from left: Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover – pause for a group photo with their zero-gravity indicator “Rise,” inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. NASA
Freelancer did not specify what would happen to Rise once the astronauts splash down on Friday. The Orion capsule is set to land in the Pacific Ocean.
Lucas told Freelancer that the entire experience has inspired a dream for his future: To “work at NASA” and “be an astronaut.”