HOUSTON — Artemis I may be technically unmanned but there is a commander on board. It's a mannequin, known by NASA as a "Moonikin," named after a late Johnson Space Center engineer instrumental in another famous moon mission.
Before it was scrubbed, Arturo Campos' daughters Deanna Campos Ranck and Yvette Campos Brewer watched what was going on from Johnson Space Center’s Artemis mission control.
"If he only knew," Brewer said. "I have a feeling he does.”
"We think it's really cool," Ranck said.
Arturo Campos, who died in 2001, was instrumental in bringing Apollo 13’s crew back to Earth in 1970 following an onboard mishap. His daughters remember what their mother told them when it happened.
"She said NASA called dad, you know, they’re having a hard time with getting the astronauts back or something like that,” Brewer said.
Moonikin Commander Campos was named via an online contest out of eight choices with NASA connections.
"He would be surprised, honestly," Brewer said. "I mean, it’s 50 years later and here we are.”
The Moonikin is wearing a flight suit and is capable of collecting valuable data.
"What’s the word that they keep using?" Ranck said. "'Instrumental' in getting information for future astronauts.”
The Moonikin is a nod to NASA’s past providing the sisters with yet another reason to be proud of their dad.
They hope the next launch is a success.