Cosmic Toy Story: Buzz Lightyear in Space (Photos)

1 of 23

Buzz Lightyear Returns

Credit: NASA

Disney's space ranger Buzz Lightyear returned from space on Sept. 11, aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission after 15 months aboard the International Space Station.

2 of 23

Buzz Lightyear at NASA

Credit: NASA/Steven Siceloff

Fictional spaceman Buzz Lightyear will make a real-life trip into space aboard space shuttle Discovery during STS-124. The toy astronaut will mark an educational partnership between NASA and Disney.

3 of 23

Disney's Space Ranger

Credit: NASA

Disney’s space ranger Buzz Lightyear returned from space on Sept. 11 aboard space shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission after 15 months aboard the International Space Station.

4 of 23

Buzz Lightyear Sets Duration Record Aboard Space Station

Credit: Disney/NASA

Buzz Lightyear floats aboard the space shuttle Discovery after being launched in May 2008.

5 of 23

Buzz Aldrin Meets Buzz Lightyear

Credit: NASA

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin gives "Toy Story" star Buzz Lightyear (in action figure form) the good news that he is cleared to launch on a NASA space shuttle mission to the International Space Station in 2008 in this still from a NASA video.

6 of 23

Disney Picks Buzz Lightyear Patch to Fly to Space Station

Credit: NASA

Buzz Lightyear floats aboard the International Space Station during his 468 day mission.

7 of 23

Buzz Lightyear With Fish in Bubble

Credit: NASA

Video screen capture of Buzz Lightyear on ISS with the fish that don’t require a fish bowl.

8 of 23

The Real Buzz

Credit: NASA

Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin warns a toy Buzz Lightyear headed for the International Space Station that he is, in fact, the "real" Buzz in this still from a NASA promotional video.

9 of 23

Buzz Lightyear With Astronauts

Credit: NASA

Video screen capture of Buzz Lightyear on orbit with fellow crewmembers Greg Chamitoff and Mike Fincke.

10 of 23

Disney's Buzz Lightyear, Wall-E Explore Space For NASA

Credit: collectSPACE.com

Guests at the opening of Disneyland's Toy Story Mania watch astronaut Greg Chamitoff and Buzz Lightyear float aboard the International Space Station.

11 of 23

Buzz Lightyear at Air and Space Museum

Credit: Smithsonian/Mark Avino

John Lasseter, chief creative officer at Pixar Animation Studios and creator of Buzz Lightyear; Lori Garver, NASA deputy administrator and National Air and Space Museum director Jack Dailey hold the space-flown Buzz Lightyear action figure.

12 of 23

NASA, Disney Celebrate Buzz Lightyear's Return From Space

Credit: collectSPACE.com

Buzz Lightyear, having returned to Earth after more than a year aboard the International Space Station, drives down Disney's Magic Kingdom Main Street USA during a ticker-tape parade in his honor.

13 of 23

Buzz Lightyear's Out-of-This-World 'Toy Story' Told by Boy's Space Patch

Credit: Disney

Buzz Lightyear at Disney World in Florida poses with Adam Carr, 11, and the patch that Carr designed for the space ranger's real trip into space.

14 of 23

Buzz Lightyear at Air and Space

Credit: NASA/Paul E. Alers

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver addresses the audience with Buzz Lightyear, left, of the film "Toy Story" at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Moving Beyond Earth Gallery, Thursday, March 29, 2012, in Washington.

15 of 23

Buzz Lightyear at Disney Parade

Credit: NASA

At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla., toy space ranger Buzz Lightyear participates in a ticker-tape parade to welcome him home from space.

16 of 23

Buzz Lightyear at Ticker-Tape Parade

Credit: NASA

At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla., toy space ranger Buzz Lightyear participates in a ticker-tape parade to welcome him home from space. The 12-inch-tall action figure spent more than 15 months aboard the International Space Station and returned to Earth aboard space shuttle Discovery on Sept. 11 with the STS-128 crew.

17 of 23