NASA is finally returning to the moon after 50 years in just a few weeks with the Artemis 1 mission. However, the spacecraft will not be carrying any humans. Instead, it will be sending a lamb to the moon called "Shaun the Sheep."
According to the European Space Agency, Shaun will be the first ESA astronaut to join the Artemis mission, and they are "wooly" happy about it.
Shaun the Sheep, a specially trained woolly astronaut, has been given a seat on the NASA Orion spacecraft's first voyage with an ESA European Service Module, the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Here, Shaun can be seen standing in front of a replica of the Orion/European Service Module spaceship.
"Giant Leap For Lambkind"
A spot has been reserved for Shaun, the title character from the animated television series "Shaun the Sheep," on NASA's Artemis 1 mission. On NASA's unmanned Orion spacecraft, this Shropshire lamb will travel far beyond the Moon before returning to Earth in a little over a month.
Shaun has been included in the Artemis 1 Official Flight Kit thanks to the ESA, which also constructed the mission's power-supplying service module.
"This is an exciting time for Shaun and for us at ESA. We're woolly very happy that he's been selected for the mission and we understand that, although it might be a small step for a human, it's a giant leap for lambkind," David Parker, ESA's Director for Human and Robotic Exploration, said.
The Space Launch System will lift off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center with Orion and its European Service Module on the rocket, which will first place the spacecraft into a low-Earth orbit before firing its upper stage to place it into a translunar orbit.
The spacecraft will fly by the Moon, almost half a million kilometers from Earth, further than any sheep or human has ever traveled. It will do this by harnessing the Moon's gravity to accelerate and reach 70 000 kilometers beyond the Moon.
Training The Sheep
Shaun started his astronaut training and familiarization with the Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module in 2020 as a preparation for this voyage. He visited numerous locations around Europe and the USA to see different components of the mission.
This voyage, overseen by an ESA team, helped Shaun prepare for his space traveler role in his 2019 movie "A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon." It gave him a glimpse into the demanding training that all astronauts go through to get ready for spaceflight, which he will now actually experience.
However, it is worth noting that Shaun's dummy is not the only pop culture character that will participate in the Artemis mission. As noted by collectSPACE.com, it will include a Snoopy doll modeled on the comic strip beagle flying in the OFK and four LEGO mini figures.
Related Article: NASA Artemis I Mission To Send Your Name To the Moon! How To Include Yours in the Space Agency's Flash Drive?
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
