Apollo 13 - Blog Posts

The Adventures of Commander Moonikin Campos

Artemis I will be an enormous step toward humanity’s return to the Moon. This mission will be the first flight test of the integrated Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft — the same system that will send future Artemis astronauts to the Moon. That’s why NASA needs someone capable to test the vehicle. Someone with the necessary experience. Someone with the Right Stuff. (Or... stuffing).

Meet Commander Moonikin Campos. He is a manikin, or a replica human body. Campos is named after Arturo Campos, a trailblazing NASA employee who worked on Apollo missions. Arturo Campos’ skill as an electrical engineer was pivotal in the rescue efforts to help guide the Apollo 13 astronauts home.

As the leader of the mission, Commander Campos will be flying in the pilot’s seat for the length of the mission: a journey of 1.3 million miles (~2 million km) around the Moon and back to Earth. He's spent years training for this mission and he loves a challenge. Campos will be equipped with two radiation sensors and will have additional sensors under his headrest and behind his seat to record acceleration and vibration data throughout the mission.

Traveling with Campos are his quirky companions, Zohar and Helga. They’re part of a special experiment to measure radiation outside of the protective bubble of Earth’s atmosphere. Together with their commander, they’re excited to play a role in humanity’s next great leap. (And hopefully they can last the entire flight without getting on each other's nerves.)

Will our brave explorers succeed on their mission and ensure the success of future Artemis operations? Can Commander Moonikin Campos live up to the legacy of his heroic namesake?? And did anyone remember to bring snacks??? Get the answers in this thrilling three-part series!

In the first part of Commander Moonikin Campos’ journey, our trailblazing hero prepares for liftoff from NASA’s spaceport at Kennedy Space Center  in Florida, gets acquainted with the new hardware aboard the Orion spacecraft, and meets his crewmates: Helga and Zohar!

In the second part of the trio’s adventure, Campos, Helga, and Zohar blast out of the Earth’s atmosphere with nearly 8.8 million pounds (4 million kg) of thrust powering their ascent. Next stop: the Moon!

In the final chapter of the Artemis I mission, Campos and friends prepare for their return home, including the last and most dangerous part of their journey: reentering Earth’s atmosphere at a screeching 25,000 miles per hour (40,000 kph).

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Congratulations to the Winner of the Name the Artemis Moonikin Challenge!

Congratulations to Campos! After a very close competition among eight different names, the people have decided: Commander Moonikin Campos is launching on Artemis I, our first uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft around the Moon later this year.

The name Campos is a dedication to Arturo Campos, electrical power subsystem manager for the Apollo 13 lunar module. He is remembered as not only a key player instrumental to the Apollo 13 crew’s safe return home, but as a champion for equality in the workplace. The final bracket challenge was between Campos and Delos, a reference to the island where Apollo and Artemis were born, according to Greek mythology.

The Moonikin is a male-bodied manikin previously used in Orion vibration tests. Campos will occupy the commander’s seat inside and wear a first-generation Orion Crew Survival System — a spacesuit Artemis astronauts will wear during launch, entry, and other dynamic phases of their missions. Campos' seat will be outfitted with sensors under the headrest and behind the seat to record acceleration and vibration data throughout the mission. Data from the Moonikin’s experience will inform us how to protect astronauts during Artemis II, the first mission around the Moon with crew in more than 50 years.

The Moonikin is one of three passengers flying in place of crew aboard Orion on the mission to test the systems that will take astronauts to the Moon for the next generation of exploration. Two female-bodied model human torsos, called phantoms, will also be aboard Orion. Zohar and Helga, the phantoms named by the Israel Space Agency and the German Aerospace Center respectively, will support an investigation called the Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment to provide data on radiation levels during lunar missions.

Campos, Zohar, and Helga are really excited to begin the journey around the Moon and back. The Artemis I mission will be one of the first steps to establishing a long-term presence on and around the Moon under Artemis, and will help us prepare for humanity's next giant leap — sending the first astronauts to Mars.

Be sure to follow Campos, Zohar, and Helga on their journey by following @NASAArtemis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

You’ve Heard “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” But Do You Know The Mission It’s From?

It’s the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission! NASA’s “successful failure,”Apollo 13 was to be the third lunar landing attempt, but the mission was aborted mid-flight after the rupture of a service module oxygen tank. The crew never landed on the moon, but due to the dedication and ingenuity of Mission Control, made it back to Earth safely. We’ve put some of the most important numbers of the Apollo 13 mission in perspective. Check it out!

Listen to the mission in real time, HERE. 

Follow NASA History on Twitter and Facebook for more interesting information about aerospace history!

Check out the stats of all the Apollo Missions in the free e-book Apollo by the Numbers, HERE.