The floating toy was later identified as a TY Flippables Tremor Dinosaur which was picked out by the astronauts’ son’s
As millions live-streamed to watch US astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on Space X’s Crew Dragon Spacecraft make history, many noticed a third passenger onboard — a sequined dinosaur.
Shortly after the spacecraft took from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, many took to social media to talk about the floating toy, later identified as a TY Flippables Tremor Dinosaur.
Take a look here:
#SpaceX my favorite part about this launch is that a glittery dinosaur has gone to space before almost all of us and i love that
pic.twitter.com/T9AzyPDHJ8— May ♡ (@exotic_grape) May 30, 2020
We can finally say that dinosaurs have traveled to space. #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/Gd7CGOAz7u
— Der (@DerekGarcia0) May 30, 2020
Oh to be a sequin dinosaur floating through zero-g #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/cQJMZBf7DV
— Connor Zombie ✊🏿 (@ConnZombie) May 30, 2020
this is exactly something elon would have on board
— syloui (@charredbrisket) May 30, 2020
Hahaha this is freaking cute!!!!❤️❤️❤️
— buzz🚀 (@darativan) May 30, 2020
I’ve never been so proud to be a Dinosaur Earther!
— lIlIllllllIIll (@lIlIllllllIIlI) May 30, 2020
Omg I screamed at the TV. I saw my toy dinosaur floating in space. #SpaceX #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/g426Gwq4KG
— Bernadette (@panoramiccolors) May 30, 2020
THIS IS NOT A TOY
IT’S THEIR MAP pic.twitter.com/fFHFUGpIME
— Dinosaur Earth Society (@DinosaurEarth) May 30, 2020
the dinosaur was wearing a seatbelt I- #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/Id6eVOSRdY
— Tom (@Tom_Haisem98) May 30, 2020
Behnken, in an interview shortly after the launch, revealed that the dinosaur was picked by his son to be used as a Zero-G indicator.
Watch the interview here:
This is not the first time a toy was introduced in a space mission. Last year, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared a picture of a stuffed toy in the shape of Earth which flew on an uncrewed test of the Crew Dragon in March 2019.
Super high tech zero-g indicator added just before launch! pic.twitter.com/CRO26plaXq
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 2, 2019
“Super high tech zero-g indicator”, he wrote, sharing the image of the toy.
For the uninitiated, Zero-G indicators or zero gravity indicators are objects used by astronauts to know when they’ve entered a state of microgravity after the engines are cut off.
The astronauts are currently heading to the International Space Station which was originally set for Wednesday, May 27. According to reports, the launch was moved due to bad weather.
NASA and SpaceX made history on Saturday when they launched the first human spaceflight through a government-private partnership. It also marks the first time astronauts are being launched from American soil since 2011.
