NASA Astronaut Leland Melvin Stars in Disney+’s ‘Hey A.J.!’ Cartoon Episode

NASA Astronaut Leland Melvin lends his voice to a new Disney+ cartoon episode of Hey A.J. The episode, titled “Time In A Bottle,” premieres April 8 on Disney+ via Disney Junior.

Melvin appears as himself

In the installment, Melvin is depicted in animated form. He voices his own character and delivers an encouraging message to young viewers.

Children in the episode discover Melvin’s childhood time capsule. They view a recorded message from the International Space Station. In it, he stresses curiosity and determination as keys to reaching big goals.

Direct words from Melvin

Melvin greets viewers in the clip, saying, “Hey, everybody, what’s up? Well, me actually.” He adds that he never expected to explore space. He calls himself proof that dreaming big can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

Credentials and spaceflights

Melvin served as a mission specialist aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. He flew on STS-122 and STS-129 during his NASA career.

Those missions helped establish his credentials as an educator and public advocate for science.

Timing and context

The episode arrives amid renewed public interest in lunar exploration. The Artemis 2 mission completed a record lunar flyby on Monday, April 6.

That flight featured a four-astronaut round-trip lunar expedition. The timing gives Melvin’s appearance extra resonance for space fans.

Series background

The musical series centers on a curious girl named A.J. She uses her imagination alongside her toy bunny, Theo. The stories aim to inspire creativity and learning.

The show was conceived and executive-produced by former NFL player Martellus Bennett. Bennett is also a Super Bowl champion.

This episode joins other family-friendly content on Disney+. It ties real astronaut experience to animated storytelling.