Barbie that went to space to go on display in London

AFP | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A Barbie that spent six months orbiting the Earth on the International Space Station will go on public display for this first time this week at the Design Museum in London.

It will be part of a new exhibition marking the 65th anniversary of the Barbie brand, set to open on Friday in partnership with the doll’s creator Mattel.

The Barbie was made to resemble Samantha Cristoforetti, the first female commander of the ISS. On the mission in which she was accompanied by her lookalike Barbie, Cristoforetti became the first European woman to complete a spacewalk.

There will be videos on display of Cristoforetti answering questions from space to encourage young girls to become scientists and astronauts –- all while floating in zero gravity alongside the Barbie.

“We’re so excited that the first time anyone can see Samantha’s doll since it returned from the International Space Station is at the Design Museum this summer,” said curator Danielle Thom.

“Its remarkable journey on Samantha’s history-making mission 400 kilometres above the Earth was one of the most dramatic moments in Barbie’s evolving story.”

Cristoforetti said she was “thrilled” her Barbie would play a “starring role” in the exhibition.