There are some differences between the flown Rise and its official replica, though. The contest rules restricted entries to use only fabrics found in NASA’s thermal blanket lab, and the flown zero-g indicator was handmade by NASA members. The real Rise has a less manufactured look and a rougher construction.
The exchange store photo and description also do not reveal if the version being sold has a zippered pocket at the bottom. The feature was added by NASA to store an SD card with the names of the 5,647,889 people who signed up to fly on the mission.
Rise in demand
Even without those details, the official Rise plushie is expected to be in demand, given the number of unauthorized (and perhaps fraudulent) offers that popped up online since Rise took flight on April 1. NASA holds copyright to the doll’s design but may permit its reproduction by hobbyists and toy companies if compliant with its merchandise guidelines.
The official exchange store version of Rise retails for $25. The employee-run shop is also offering other Rise products, including an embroidered patch, a lapel pin, a key chain, decals and a magnet, as well as a selection of apparel depicting Rise and a quote from one of the calls between the Artemis II crew and mission control, “Copy, Moon Joy.”
According to the store’s website, all Rise products are expected to take up to eight weeks to deliver due to production schedules.