Artemis II astronauts help kickoff SXSW

AUSTIN (KXAN) — NASA is hosting multiple events throughout this year's South by Southwest Conference & Festivals.

The agency kicked off day one by bringing out the Artemis II astronauts. The four-member crew will be the first to visit the moon since the 1970s.

The mission is now less than a year away. NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman said the Artemis II mission was the first step in the Artemis campaign for humans on Mars.

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen said that beyond the moon, the mission has three purposes.

“One is inspiration. The second is capacity, and then, the final one is collaboration,” Hansen said.

The trip will take the astronauts into the orbit of the moon, and they will take photos of the far side of the moon and perform experiments.

“No mission to deep space would be complete without a little radiation study,” Astronaut Christina Koch said.

During the event, NASA announced a new competition creating a mascot for the Artemis II mission.

Wiseman said every mission has a mascot.

But it's more than a mascot. Tied to a string, the doll serves an important function.

“This stuffed animal on a string tells you everything you need to know about engine performance,” Wiseman said. “It's not so good at roll, but it tells you everything you need to know.”

Designs can be submitted through NASA's website. The submission deadline is May 27.