Until now, we have celebrated the Barbie doll like a fashion figurine.

Thanks to the Barbie Dream Gap Project,
that might change, albeit, a little.

Mattel, the company behind Barbie, is launching a
commemorative Barbie doll to celebrate the achievements of
real-life Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.

This is part of a new partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Cristoforetti is the only active female astronaut at ESA.

The Italian astronaut spent 199 days on board the
International Space Station between November 2014 and June 2015.

She is also a captain in the Italian Air Force.

You can learn more about her on her website.

Where can you get the Cristoforetti barbie?

You cannot buy the doll yet.

The Cristoforetti Barbie is part of the Barbie Dream Gap Project.

The Project includes funding research, highlighting positive
role models, and producing inspiring content and products.

Cristoforetti will host a video series to give girls a guided tour
of the ESA European Astronaut center in Cologne, Germany.

The female astronaut holds the record for the longest
single space mission completed by a woman.

Interestingly, she also became popular for brewing espresso in space.

The astronaut believes that the initiative will help
young girls and boys to dream without limits.

Read: Nike celebrates US Women’s Soccer Team’s Victory

Barbie Dream Gap Project: Gender Imbalance

As per a 2017 study by the NYU, the University of Illinois and Princeton,
girls may begin to develop self-limiting beliefs as early as age 5.

A June 2019 survey of parents of girls aged 3-10 in the
UK, France, Germany, and Italy found that parents agree that
female astronauts need to be heroes, just like their male counterparts.

Barbie joined hands with UK clinical psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Kilbey
to develop the interest of young girls in STEM-
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Cristoforetti and the Barbie Dream Gap Project
could definitely help achieve this goal.

What do you think?