SpaceX's Latest "Zero-G Indicator" Is a Baby Yoda

"Maybe Baby Yoda's trying to pilot the vehicle."

The Child

Astronauts on board the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which is currently headed to the International Space Station, decided to bring a secret stowaway along with them as a "zero-gravity indicator:" a Baby Yoda plush toy from Disney's hit show "The Mandalorian."

"We've got Baby Yoda on board trying to take a seat right now," NASA communications specialist Leah Cheshier said, as quoted by Business Insider, during a livestream of last night's historic launch.

SpaceX has brought along a number of different "zero-gravity indicators," which are small objects that start to float when a spacecraft cabin encounters microgravity, on different missions.  NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley brought a sequined dinosaur called "Tremor" to the space station during the first crewed Crew Dragon test mission earlier this year. And a plush doll of the Earth called "Earthy" made it on board the uncrewed test flight in March 2019.

Stowaway

The four astronauts made history on Sunday evening, becoming the first operational ISS crew to take off from American soil in almost a decade.

Baby Yoda made the best out of its unexpected journey into outer space. The stream showed it bobbing around from one end of the capsule to the other. At one point, it even settled in NASA astronaut Victor Glover's seat.

"Maybe Baby Yoda's trying to pilot the vehicle," Cheshier joked.

READ MORE: Astronauts brought an extra crew member onto SpaceX's Crew Dragon ship before it launched to orbit: a Baby Yoda toy [Business Insider]

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