Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, the first European to take command of the International Space Station (ISS), took a Barbie doll with her 400 km above the Earth to spark the interest of little girls in scientific careers.
On the occasion of World Space Week, which is held from October 4 to 10, the astronaut wished to inspire young girls to embark on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers. In order to have their full attention, Samantha Cristoforetti took care to explain in detail her experiments carried out on board the ISS. By arousing their curiosity, the Italian wanted to change the image of these areas which are often perceived as being inaccessible to the fairer sex.
Floating weightlessly in the ISS alongside her twin doll, the astronaut answered questions from young girls from the UK, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and France. The project was born thanks to Inspiring Girls, a charity founded by Miriam González Durántez which organizes encounters between little girls and female role models.
Since October 2021, the Barbie with the image of Samantha Cristoforetti has been marketed to the general public.
