Over the past 57 years, Barbie's space wear has varied from fashion-forward to miniature replicas of the real thing. The first astronaut outfit, "Barbie Miss Astronaut" released in 1965, was inspired by the silverly suits worn by the Mercury astronauts. Twenty years later, Barbie modeled a bright pink and silver spacesuit "with sparkly skirt and tights." During this time, Mattel also released another iteration of Space Camp Barbie (2008) as well as two scientist dolls: Space Scientist Barbie (2017) and Astrophysicist Barbie (2019). Several space-themed dolls based on real women were also released, perhaps in an attempt to show young girls that their dreams aren’t only possible in Barbieland. Among these highlighted women are Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician who worked on the Mercury program; Sally Ride, the first American woman in space; and Samantha Cristoforetti, the first Italian woman in space. 2021: Space Discovery Barbie It was on a DOD [Department of Defense] flight, and that's why you might not have seen much on it," said Steve Denison in an interview with collectSPACE.

Every single day we do cool science and engineering research here," said Barron in the video, which also features NASA astronaut Raja Chari.In 1998, Mattel released Space Camp Barbie (not in our collection), whose blue flight suit is much more in line with what actual astronauts were wearing during the 1990s. Based on popular Space Camp programs for children and teenagers, this doll was the first space-themed Barbie that wasn’t an astronaut. Unlike Astronaut Barbie, who represents a far-off future goal that children must wait to achieve until they are older, Space Camp Barbie represents a real and immediately attainable way for children to engage with and study space. 2000s and 2010s This box from 1994 Astronaut Barbie is in the Museum’s collection, along with the corresponding doll. The playset features Barbie® space explorer doll, her puppy and more than 20 out-of-this-world pieces that inspire kids to explore and experiment. The pair of "Space Discovery" dolls that debuted July 18 at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia were indeed launched into orbit in 2022, and were the first Barbie dolls that Mattel — the toy company behind the iconic fashion figure brand — arranged to fly. But another Barbie made the trip 32 years earlier aboard a still-classified space shuttle mission and today it sits in the home of its original owner. They don't have the helmets, they just are wearing the suits," said Weitekamp. "My understanding is that the shoes are adhered to their feet and, in fact, their hair has been gelled down with a little bit of glue to keep it from not just being a 'flyaway,' as in having a bad hair day, but literally flying away in the microgravity environment.

The new additions differ from their previous counterparts in a few ways, beyond having spent time in space. This is our first chance to have Barbie in a spacesuit that depicts a spacesuit that women have actually worn. This is a spacesuit that is based on the Russian Sokol suits," Weitekamp said. "So we are now able to show a nice array of the ways that Barbie has allowed people to connect with the idea of going into space and then what is actually happening in spaceflight right now." Barbie® astronaut doll is ready to explore the sky and beyond with a shimmery spacesuit, space boots, gloves and helmet. The Barbie dolls now in space are expected to return to Earth this summer, when they will be sent to the Smithsonian to go on display at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in northern Virginia. Have you ever dreamed of what it would it be like to go to outer space? I know I have!" says an animated version of Barbie in the episode.Since then, the doll has remained at Denison's home, which may be why Mattel, NASA, the Smithsonian and just about everyone else forgot about Barbie's actual first spaceflight. Not that Denison has any hard feelings about the subject. In honor of these two new and very special additions to our collection, we are documenting Barbie’s long career as one of our nation’s foremost space explorers. 1960s Programs Learning resources Plan a field trip Educator professional development Education monthly theme Another Barbie resembling European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is set to launch to the space station with her real-life counterpart later this month.

These two space-flown Barbies have been added as a special addition to the toys case that has been on display in the McDonnell Space Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center," Margaret Weitekamp, curator of the National Air and Space Museum's social and cultural history of spaceflight collection, said in an interview with collectSPACE. "They join three Barbie dolls in space outfits that have already been on display." As it happened, the same person who sewed Barbie's custom spacesuit went on to work for the National Archives, where in 1999 she helped arrange for the doll to be temporarily displayed at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Kansas, in conjunction with an exhibit celebrating 40 years of Barbie. The science classroom playset comes with all the pieces needed to launch learning adventures, including Barbie® teacher doll, a student small doll, furniture and accessories! Later, the astronauts inscribed and autographed one of the photos for Denison, writing in jest that Barbie was still needed for their next simulator run (Barbie and Denison left NASA within months of the mission ending.)

Open the set to reveal a workstation and turn the star pattern thumbwheel to switch between different space scenes in the space station window! Kids can build a universe and collect other Barbie® Space Discovery™ toys to fuel even more storytelling and role-play fun! The National Air and Space Museum on Tuesday (July 18) debuted on display the first-ever Barbie dolls to actually fly into space. The two fashion figures spent several months on board the International Space Station (ISS) in 2022 as part of "Mission DreamStar," a joint outreach project by Mattel and the ISS U.S. National Laboratory. The dolls were then donated by the toy company to the Smithsonian. Miss Astronaut Barbie from 1965; Astronaut Barbie from 1985 and the Toys R Us Apollo 11 25th anniversary Barbie from 1994 as seen in the toys case at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. (Image credit: Smithsonian) Fun space station accessories include: a chair, test tubes, microscope, plant experiment, astronaut food and laptop, plus items for the puppy like a puppy bed and food bowl.

Mattel did not know about Barbie being aboard STS-38 at the time, but learned of the doll's mission a couple of years later, when the company highlighted the flight in a newsletter for its employees. "Another impressive coup for a Barbie doll," the 1992 issue of Mattel Matters read, "the only question now is, what's left?" There is perhaps no résumé in existence quite as long as Barbie’s. Known for her endless list of careers, Barbie has decades of experience in business, medicine, modeling, and just about any other industry you can imagine. After all, the intention behind Barbie was that she would allow girls to imagine themselves as young adults. And if you are imagining possible careers, why not think big?

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Barbie® Space Discovery™ dolls and toys inspire kids to let their imaginations blast off into space!