This blonde Space Discovery Astronaut Barbie was flown to the International Space Station (ISS) for toy manufacturer Mattel, Inc. by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the nonprofit organization that manages the ISS’s functions as a National Lab. The dolls’ flight was an experiment called Mission DreamStar, “a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education project using space to inspire girls of every age.” The Dream Gap Project aimed to use the vision of Barbie® in space to raise girls’ aspirations.
Mattel, Inc. donated two space-flown dolls to the National Air and Space Museum in 2022.
This object is on display in James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.