NASA's space dummy has been named by the public: Commander Moonikin Campos

The Moonikin – the human stand-in – to be sent on board NASA's Orion spacecraft in the upcoming Artemis I mission has been officially named "Commander Moonikin Campos."

The name Campos derives from Arturo Campos, who was essential in helping Apollo 13 return safely to Earth.

And the winner is… Campos! After collecting 300K total votes throughout the campaign, Commander Moonikin Campos will embark on the #Artemis I mission around the Moon.The name is a dedication to Arturo Campos, key player in bringing Apollo 13 home: https://t.co/WUYdiBxwb0 pic.twitter.com/jiftPyVWCD

— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) June 29, 2021

“Our return to the Moon through Artemis is a global effort – and we’re always looking at new ways to engage the public in our missions. This contest, which is helping pave the way for a human return to the Moon, also honors an important individual in our NASA family – Arturo Campos,” Brian Odom, NASA’s acting chief historian at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, said in a statement. 

“It is a fitting tribute that the data gained from Artemis I will help us prepare to fly astronauts – including the first woman and first person of color – to the Moon, where we will get ready for Mars.”

The name was chosen following a public bracket between a number of possible names, eventually coming down in the end to Campos and Delos, who was named after the island where Artemis and Apollo were born, according to Greek mythology.

Campos's job in the mission is making sure the Orion spacecraft is safe for humans. Wearing the Orion Crew Survival System suit, it is essential to test it along with the rest of the functions on the spacecraft.

But Campos won't be going into space alone.

Accompanying him on board the Orion spacecraft are two female-bodied model human torsos known as phantoms. Named Zohar and Helga by NASA's partners in the mission, the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and German Aerospace Center (DLR) respectively, their job is to take part in the Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment (MARE), which will provide data on radiation levels in lunar missions as well as testing the usability of the AstroRad vests.

The vests, made by Tel Aviv-based company StemRad in partnership with aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin, were designed to be personal protective equipment to shield astronauts from space radiation exposure outside the Earth's magnetosphere.

 

Having been made in partnership between an American and Israeli company, the vest proudly displays the flags of both countries.

The vests have already been sent to the International Space Station for the Comfort and Human Factors AstroRad Radiation Garment Evaluation (CHARGE) study mean to test the vest in a microgravity environment. This study will help improve the vest's fit and function.

Both tests are being conducted by NASA in partnership with the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and could see the AstoRad become a critical component for NASA's future space exploration plans.