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What Was Baby Yoda Doing on Crew Dragon?
You might have seen the picture circulating of Baby Yoda in the crew dragon capsule.
So, what was he doing there? It’s all part of a tradition that goes back to the very first space launch.
Gagarin and Zero-G Indicators
In 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being in space. He took with him a small doll, secured in the cabin, “to watch it float.”
This started the tradition of the “zero-g indicator,” which confirms that a craft is in microgravity (zero-g is a misnomer but tradition requires it be used in this case).
The ostensible purpose is to make sure astronauts know that they really are in free fall before unstrapping, but I suspect personally that it’s as much a sailor’s talisman as anything else.
Zero-g indicators can be anything, but plush toys have become popular because they’re, well, not going to damage anything floating around the cabin.
How are they Chosen?
Traditionally, the primary zero-g indicator is chosen by the mission commander. Sometimes, other crewmembers might bring their own.
The object can be anything of suitable size and shape, and sometimes indicates the historical significance of the mission. For…