Joy, the 0 gravity indicator of Axiom-4 mission
When the Axiom-4 mission launched, it brought along a cute surprise: a plush baby swan named Joy.
Chosen as the zero-gravity indicator for astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's son (who loves animals), Joy started floating once the Dragon spacecraft hit orbit—letting everyone know they'd reached microgravity.
Symbol of international teamwork
Joy isn't just a fun mascot—it stands for values from each astronaut's home country: wisdom and purity from India, purity, loyalty, and resilience from Poland, and loyalty, grace, and the beauty of nature from Hungary.
The little swan is also a symbol of international teamwork between ISRO, ESA, and Hungary's HUNOR program.
When did this tradition start?
Bringing toys like Joy into space is actually an old-school move.
Yuri Gagarin kicked off this tradition by using floating objects to show when his spacecraft went weightless.
Today, these zero-gravity indicators are still a simple way for astronauts—and everyone watching—to spot that moment when gravity lets go.