SpaceKids

Barbie Goes Cosmic in 'Star Light Adventure' This Weekend

Barbie Star Light Adventure still
Barbie and friends venture to space in 'Barbie Star Light Adventure,' playing this weekend in select theaters. (Image credit: Fathom Events)

Mattel's Barbie is headed out of this world. This weekend, in a feature playing in select theaters, Barbie will set out on a mission to save stars across the universe. 

"'Barbie Star Light Adventure' features cosmic princess Barbie in her first intergalactic mission," representatives from the production company Fathom Events said in a statement. 

"Alongside her adorable pet sidekick, Pupcorn, Barbie teams up with new friends to keep the twinkling stars from dimming out and slowing their dance in the sky," the statement continued. "During her action-packed adventure, Barbie soon discovers she may be the leader the whole universe has been waiting for." Information about screening and tickets are available at FathomEvents.com. [Barbie in Space: Iconic Doll's Astronaut Looks (Photos)]

The new film coincides with the launch of a whole line of "Star Light Adventure" toys, including a remote control quadcopter (the Barbie Star Light Adventure RC Hoverboard, which hits stories this fall at $59.99) styled like the one she uses in the show. We checked the gadget out — along with Barbie's flying pet cat — at New York's 2016 Toy Fair. Other smaller accessories and figures are available in Target and Toys R Us stories now, according to Mattel.

As Barbie fans know, this isn't the first time the famous doll has put on a spacesuit.

Earlier this year, Mattel released a "Star Trek"-themed 50th anniversary collection with the likenesses of Nichelle Nichols (who played Uhura in the original series), William Shatner (Kirk) and Leonard Nimoy (Spock) with a phaser and a tricorder.

In August 2013 — the first anniversary of when NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars — Mattel released a Mars Explorer Barbie. The doll was packaged with a cardboard Mars Science Laboratory featuring pink highlights.

The very first astronaut Barbie was released in 1965, at the height of the space race between the United States and Russia. The first Soviet female cosmonaut (Valentina Tereshkova) flew in 1963. The first U.S. female astronaut, Sally Ride, didn't fly in space until 1983.

Another astronaut Barbie was released in 1985, and a "Star Trek" Barbie and Ken set came out in 1996.

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Elizabeth Howell
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace