The star of the "Toy Story" movies, Buzz Lightyear, will get a hero's welcome this week when he returns to Earth after spending more than a year on the International Space Station.
The 12-inch (30-centimeter) tall figurine who launched into space in May 2008 was on board the US space shuttle Discovery when it undocked from the ISS earlier Tuesday, the first manoeuver before the crew begins the journey back to Earth.
Lightyear was only supposed to spend six months in space, returning home in November on board space shuttle Endeavor, but Disney said his stay was extended because his educational mission there had been such a resounding success.
"The education program that was put in place for kids had really worked out well. So by keeping him up there, it kind of kept the stories and educational pieces relevant," said Todd Heiden, Disney World's strategic planning director.
Disney is bringing Lightyear back to Earth just in time to attend and help promote the opening of a remastered double feature of Toy Story 1 and 2, which will be in cinemas next month.
Walt Disney World was also planning a ticker-tape parade for the toy "because he will have been the longest-tenured crew member in space — and that even surpasses the Russians," Heiden told AFP.
"If my calculations are correct, he will have spent 467 days in space if they come down as planned on Thursday."
That's 30 days longer than Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov who spent 437 days on board the Mir space station in 1994.
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