NASA Moon Mission: How to Join Contest to Name Human Dummy 'Moonikin' in Orion Spacecraft

NASA is giving the general public a chance to name the suited manikin, or Moonikin, flying on the Artemis I mission around the Moon. The naming contest offers eight names to choose from, with the voting poll held on NASA's social media channels. The final showdown for this name-making competition is set on June 28.

The space agency is organizing a flight test for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to experiment on their astronaut's safety. They will be using a suited manikin to simulate the human body experience during take-off, flight, and reduced gravity conditions.

NASA Moon Mission: 'Moonikin' in Orion Spacecraft

The manikin used in this mission is fully equipped to gather necessary data, so the first flight crew on Artemis II can safely make their journey. The manikin is an anatomical model installed with radiation sensors that could record acceleration and vibration throughout the mission. NASA reported that the manikin is expected to experience 2.5 times the force of gravity during ascent and four times the force of gravity during descent.

The internet community is hyping up on the chance to name the "Moonikin" flying to space!

NASA offers eight names to choose from:

• ACE: It stands for Artemis Crew Explorer
• CAMPOS: The name is in reference to Arturo Campos, who was one of the electrical engineers who safely brought back the Apollo 13.
• DELOS. This is in reference to the island where twin gods Apollo and Artemis were born.
• DUHART: The name refers to Dr. Irene Duhart Long. For those not in the know, she is the first African-American femal to become a Senior Executive Service at the Kennedy Space Center.
• MONTGOMERY: This nameis inspired by Julius Montgomery, the first African American hired at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to work as a technical professional.
• RIGEL: It is in reference to one of the 10 brightest stars on Earth and part of the constellation Orion
• SHACKLETON: This is in reference to a crater on the Moon, unique for its semi-permanent shadowed state
• WARGOL This name, meanwhile, is inspired by Michael Wargo, the first Chief Exploration Scientist for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.

How to Join Contest to Name 'Moonikin'

NASA is opening up a public poll to vote on "Name the Artemis Moonikn Challenge." All eight names face off in a one-on-one voting poll, with the winning name advancing to the next bracket. Starting June 16, the poll would happen every other day. Social media users can vote through NASA's Twitter page.

At the time of writing, the first name, ACE, won against WARGO by a 60.6 percent poll vote. Future voting polls will probably follow the same pattern.

To join the "Name the Artemis Moonikn Challenge," log in to your Twitter account. Follow the NASA official account @NASAArtemis and keep an eye on the newsfeed. Unfortunately, NASA does not provide additional information regarding the voting opening and closing time.

This is your chance to contribute to naming the Mooikin flying on space, so don't miss out on the voting now!