All sorts of interesting flags and artifacts will fly to the Moon on Artemis II

NASA’s first astronauts to fly to the Moon in more than 50 years will pay tribute to the lunar and space exploration missions that preceded them, as well as aviation and American history, by taking with them artifacts and mementos representing those past accomplishments. NASA on Wednesday (Jan. 21) revealed the contents of the Artemis II mission’s Official Flight Kit (OFK), continuing a tradition dating back to the Apollo program of packing a duffel bag-size pouch of symbolic and celebratory items to commemorate the flight and recognize the people behind it. The kit includes more than 2,300 items, including a handful of relics. “This mission will bring together pieces of our earliest achievements in aviation, defining moments from human spaceflight and symbols of where we’re headed next,” Jared Isaacman, NASA’s administrator, said in a statement. “Historical artifacts flying aboard Artemis II reflect the long arc of American exploration and the generations of innovators who made this moment possible.” The Artemis II Official Flight Kit will fly aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity stowed in a locker for the duration of the 10-day mission so as to be out of the way for the mission’s four crew members. Credit: NASA The Artemis II mission, which may launch as soon as early February, is set to take three NASA astronauts—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch—and a representative of the Canadian Space Agency, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day flight that takes them farther out into space than any humans have ever traveled before and then return them safely to Earth. The mission includes a flyby of the Moon, affording the crew an opportunity to see parts of the far side never observed directly by human eyes. Banners aboard “During America’s 250th anniversary, Orion will carry astronauts around the Moon, while also carrying our history forward into the next chapter beyond Earth,” said Isaacman. Inside the OFK are numerous flags of different types, including hundreds of US and “America 250” flags for post-flight presentation. The kit also holds two special examples of the stars and stripes, one that is returning to space for its third time, and another that is finally getting its chance to fly.