NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission will return humans to the vicinity of the Moon after more than half a century, and eagle-eyed anime fans have noticed a fun nod to ‘Sailor Moon’ within the mission control center.
A video from inside a control room is circulating online after a small Artemis plush – a white cat character from a famous anime – was seen on a desk. Adding to the fun, a staff member was also spotted wearing a lanyard featuring Usagi Tsukino, the main character with twin tails from the same anime.
Sailor Moon centers around Tsukino and her team of protectors, whose abilities are linked to planets, stars, and the Moon. Throughout the series, they’re guided by Artemis, a clever cat who acts as their strategist. It’s no surprise this charming nod to the show has resonated with anime lovers everywhere.
Sailor Moon appears in NASA control room
One fan pointed out on X that many current NASA employees likely grew up watching anime like Sailor Moon and Gundam on Toonami. They joked that these ‘childhood nerds’ are now ‘NASA nerds,’ explaining why the agency seems to get so many pop culture references.
Someone else commented, “The Artemis program feels like it’s inspired by the original Artemis! I really hope Naoko Takeuchi, the author, sees this. It’s amazing to see the ‘longing for the moon’ she created over 30 years ago being celebrated by NASA. And I’d love to meet the person who made this happen!”
Although it might seem surprising, NASA’s Artemis program is named after the Greek goddess of the Moon. She was also the twin sister of Apollo, the program that last put people on the Moon back in 1972.
Artemis II will be the first mission to carry astronauts beyond Earth’s immediate orbit in half a century. It’s a crucial step in NASA’s plan to send humans back to the Moon and, ultimately, on to Mars, with this flight involving a loop around the Moon.
It’s both heartwarming and incredible that NASA employees, who are fans of Sailor Moon, are playing key roles in the major Moon mission happening now.
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2026-04-03 12:48