NASA and Disney Celebrate Buzz Lightyear's Return from Space

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A well-traveled 12-inch Buzz Lightyear action figure is getting a homecoming worthy of some full-size astronaut returning from more than a year aboard the International Space Station (ISS) at Walt Disney World today.

Disney Parks as well as NASA are spending Friday celebrating Buzz Lightyear's landing with the launch of a competition for kids to blueprint the "Toy Story" astronaut's mission patch and the debut of a new online game as part of the "Space Ranger Education Series" on the space agency's website.

NASA also used today to publicize a second contest for students to propose experiments to be conducted aboard the station.

The celebration was set to conclude this afternoon with a ticker-tape parade down the Magic Kingdom's Main Street USA featuring the flown Buzz Lightyear, his namesake, moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, and astronaut Mike Fincke, who was on the space station for six of the 15 months that the toy Lightyear was there. (Visit collectSPACE later on Friday meant for a gallery of photographs from the ticker-tape parade.)

A (toy) storied tradition

As soon as Buzz Lightyear was launched aboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission in May 2008, all seven of his "crewmates" had a scrap to represent themselves and their mission's goals. As soon as he arrived at the station to instigate his stay, the astronauts as well as cosmonauts who came and went at the same time as he was there every one will had his mission patches of their own.

In reality, all the astronauts who fly before Lightyear since 1965 have had their own emblems.

Buzz Lightyear, on his individual mission to star in learning videos for NASA outreach programs, had no scrap.

To correct that oversight and to engage students, NASA has partnered with Disney Parks to hold a contest open to children in grades two through six to design an insignia that honors the country's first and longest-serving space ranger.

"Disney Parks as well as NASA judge it is only fitting that Buzz's biggest moreover true fans are given the ability to design a one-of-a-kind mission patch to rejoice his dream come true. We have no doubt the submissions will be unique and creative -- if anything, a very hard decision to make!" alleged Duncan Wardle, vice president for Disney's Creative, Inc.

Start from today through Nov. 6, children as well as parents can go onto Disney Parks' website, download a template and you csnn design a custom Buzz mission patch. Kids can pick from designs along with the art inspired by previous NASA badges, as well as NASA and Disney innovative elements and other add-ons.

Alongside with their patch design, children must also submit a 100-word or fewer essays discussing the motivation for their emblem.

The winner and up to three family members will get a four day, three night vacation at Walt Disney World, and a VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center. NASA will also fly the winning patch into space and reward it to the winning child post-flight.

Not just child's play

At present NASA debuted a game on its website featuring Buzz Lightyear, as well as a second design challenge for the students to carry out experiments on the space station.

For more information about NASA visit, http://www.nasa.gov/