NASA astronaut Leland Melvin makes a cartoon cameo in latest episode of Disney+’s ‘Hey A.J.!’

Everyone loves an astronaut, especially during NASA’s Artemis 2 mission and record-busting lunar flyby that just occurred on Monday, April 6.

To back up that bold claim, even Disney+’s Disney Jr. channel is celebrating the universal hope and inspiration provided by the four Artemis 2 astronauts’ round-trip lunar expedition with a new installment of the hit animated kids’ show, “Hey A.J.!”

Here in this exclusive clip taken from the new “Time In A Bottle” episode airing April 8 on Disney+, retired NASA astronaut Leland Melvin appears in cartoon form voicing himself. Melvin flew on a pair of missions aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis as mission specialist for STS-122 and STS-129.

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“A.J. and her friends discover Leland’s childhood time capsule and learn he once was a kid just like them who dreamed of becoming an astronaut,” states the official synopsis.

“They watch a video message of Leland from the International Space Station, where he shares that with curiosity and determination, even the biggest goals can be achieved. This animated story gives young viewers an empowering moment while offering parents and space enthusiasts a fun, authentic connection to the story of a real astronaut.”

“Hey, everybody, what’s up?” Melvin asks in the clip. “Well, me actually. I didn’t think I’d ever get to explore outer space. But, I’m proof that if you keep dreaming big, you too can be out of this world.”

Conceived and executive-produced by ex-NFL player and Super Bowl Champ Martellus Bennett, “Hey A.J.!” is a musical animated series centered around a precocious young girl named A.J. who, with her toy stuffed bunny Theo, exercises her imagination to make life extraordinary.