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This Barbie is an astronaut.
This Barbie is a scientist.
This Barbie is a Smithsonian star.
Barbie goes to space is a story which began in 1965, when Miss Astronaut debuted.
Almost 70 years later, Barbie is still exploring the final frontier, this time in plastic person.
Barbie had to prepare to go to space for real.
Each of the two dolls was dressed in a Soyuz-inspired cosmonaut suit, no accessories allowed.
Their hair was cut short and glued down.
After months spent orbiting the earth, the dolls have returned to plastic paradise.
The two space voyagers are now displayed alongside the 1965 Miss Astronaut suit and two other space Barbies.
With the release ofBarbie, the movie, the pink-clad blonde is now everywhere.
But Barbie is so much more than an all-American blonde.
She’s been brunette and sported an afro, she’s used a wheelchair and hasdown syndrome.
The representation hasn’t always been well-executed, but Barbie is clearly much more than a doll.
Her career is more than just make-believe, though.
Barbie dolls helped in the research conducted by European scientists onzero-gravity parabolic flights.
She, like other dolls, teach childrenempathy.
