“Rise” Meets Snoopy
In April, several of us at the Schulz Museum saw a local news story about Lucas Ye, the eight-year-old creator of “Rise,” the official zero-gravity indicator (ZGI) for NASA’s historic Artemis II mission, and we noticed that he and his brother were wearing matching Snoopy t-shirts!
After Artemis II splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026, we thought it would be wonderful to invite Lucas and his family to the Museum to meet the Snoopy ZGI for Artemis I and see some of the other NASA materials in the Museum’s collection.
Snoopy, the zero-gravity indicator (ZGI) for NASA’s Artemis I mission, now in the Schulz Museum’s collection.
The Snoopy ZGI came about because of the Space Act Agreement between NASA and Peanuts Worldwide to teach children about space. The one-of-a-kind plush was specially designed and dressed using the same material as the astronauts. As the ZGI, Snoopy acted as NASA’s visual confirmation of reaching orbit during the Artemis I mission around the Moon and back.
In this enhanced image, Snoopy, the zero-gravity indicator for NASA’s Artemis I flight test, floats in space on November 20, 2022, while attached to his tether in the Orion spacecraft. (Image credit: NASA)
Sooji Nam, the reporter whose story we saw on KPIX CBS News, helped put us in touch with Lucas and his family, and they came to see us in May 2026.
Lucas Ye (second from left) and his family in the Museum’s Research Center.
Lucas brought his original prototype for Rise, and we made history of our own when we united both Artemis ZGIs together!
I can see why Rise attracted the judges’ attention!
We showed Lucas the Silver Snoopy Award that was presented to Charles Schulz by Apollo 7 astronaut Wally Schirra in 1968.
I was also privileged to present Lucas with one of our Snoopy astronauts to keep as he continues to expand his impressive knowledge of space travel. I wouldn’t be surprised if he receives a Silver Snoopy Award of his own one day!
—Jean Schulz
