‘Star Wars’ Actors Discover What It Takes to Be NASA Astronauts

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins (left) and Meghan McArthur (right) were on hand to help Kelly Marie Tran (center left) and Naomi Ackie (center right) with their astronaut training. (Photo Credit: Norah Moran / NASA)

As the world prepared to visit a galaxy far, far away last month, two Star Wars cast members trained for a mission closer to home.

On Dec. 11, Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico) and Naomi Ackie (Jannah) spent the day learning about NASA’s Artemis program, which will help put the first woman and next man on the lunar south pole by 2024.

The actors (presumably expendable during the Rise of Skywalker press tour) traveled to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they fangirled their way through the facility.

After taking a spin in simulated zero and micro gravity via the agency’s Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS), Ackie and Tran tried on spacesuits, hung out in a space capsule, toured space station mockups and mission control, taste-tested astronaut grub, and drove a lunar rover.

They ended their day with a space-to-ground call from ISS rocketeers Christina Koch, Jessica Meir, Andrew Morgan, and Luca Parmitano.

The pair were accompanied by NASA astronauts Meghan McArthur (a veteran of the space shuttle missions STS-125) and Jessica Watkins (a recent graduate from basic training).

Just as droids roam the moons of the Star Wars universe, NASA sends robotic explorers, science instruments, and technology demonstrations to explore Earth’s satellite.

Star Wars Goes to Space

Star Wars: Episode IX is now playing at an International Space Station (relatively) near you.

Disney recently sent the film through mission control to Expedition 61 crew members living and working aboard the orbiting laboratory.

“Watching films aboard the space station is one way for the crew to bond and decompress,” Bettina Inclán, associate administrator for NASA communications, said in a statement.

There is no word on whether the team munched floating popcorn as they caught up on the final chapter of the Skywalker saga over the weekend.

“On occasion, we’re able to share some of the latest film releases for them to enjoy at their leisure and as free time allows,” according to Inclán. “Science fiction films are often the most popular among astronauts. They also can literally enjoy them while floating in microgravity, which is cool.”

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