Luke Skywalker’s original Jedi lightsaber film prop from Return of the Jedi makes its way into space (for real) with NASA astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery in October. To commemorate the historic event, Star Wars characters visited the Oakland International Airport where Chewbacca handed the lightsaber over to NASA’s Space Center Houston during a special ceremony on Aug. 28, 2007.
Arriving by Escalade and Hummer stretch limos (the Falcon’s in the shop) Boba Fett, Jango Fett, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, X-Wing pilots, Jedi and stormtroopers (from the Golden Gate Garrison of the 501st Legion) accompanied Chewie for the fun-filled press event which took quite a few travelers and tourists in baggage claim by surprise. NASA’s Space Center Houston Director of Marketing Roger Bornstein greeted the intergalactic guests and warmly thanked everyone’s favorite Wookiee for bringing him Luke’s lightsaber.
“On behalf of NASA’s Space Center Houston, we’re proud to take temporary possession of this great American movie icon, Luke Skywalker’s original Jedi lightsaber,” Bornstein says. “It’ll be trusted into the care of Southwest Airlines and transported to Space Center Houston where it will be held in inventory on the Space Shuttle Discovery STS-120. During the launch scheduled on Oct. 23, 2007, Luke’s original Jedi lightsaber will take its rightful place in space for a mission to the international space station.”
“When the mission is complete and the Jedi lightsaber has traveled almost six million miles it will then be on display at the Space Center Houston and later returned to Lucasfilm,” Bornstein continues. “To paraphrase the famous Han Solo, ‘We’re all clear kids, now let’s load this thing and go home.’” (He was paraphrasing and using his own words so it made since to LOAD the plane with the lightsaber, not BLOW it up.)
To send off the spectacular departure of the lightsaber aboard its Southwest Airlines flight, Chewbacca helped push back the airplane on the tarmac, with his friends, bounty hunters and stormtroopers looking on. The group waved goodbye as the plane set course for Houston.
Once the flight lands in Houston, stormtroopers (from the Star Garrison of the 501st Legion) will escort the lightsaber off the plane as R2-D2 (from the R2 Builders Group) and other Star Wars characters (from Rebel Legion) kick-off the second half of the celebration in William P. Hobby Airport. The fanfare concludes outside baggage claim where the lightsaber is transported via Hummer with an official City of Webster police escort to NASA’s Space Center Houston where it will be on display through September 4, 2007.
Be sure to check out our Official Star Wars Flickr Blog for our photos from the event complete with Rebel pilots mingling with Southwest Airlines pilots, Chewie on the tarmac, and stormtroopers helping with security.
Stay tuned to the Official Star Wars Blog for more on the special event.
Tags: NASA, Science & Tech, The 501st Legion
I can’t wait until Launch Day, it will be another Epic Mark in Star Wars History and to comment on an earlier Reply… What has NASA given us? How about inspiration for Movies such as Star Wars!
Where is Luke? you should invited Mrk Hamill
@ChuckSchick: It’s Luke’s original lightsaber in that he built it – his ‘actual’ first lightsaber was his father’s.
@sincitydisciple: Apart from learning about the Universe? NASA doesn’t just do shuttle missions – a lot of important research is done by NASA that the general public either doesn’t know about or has no interest in because it doesn’t involve aliens.
This is fantastic news. Next should be Darth Vader’s. Then, after that, a box of Force lightning.
In response to ChuckSchick, that is Luke’s original JEDI lightsaber. He was not a Jedi when Obi Wan presented his father’s saber to him. So you’re right, kinda. Heh. To clarify, here’s the header from the Star Wars.com Homing Beacon #195:
“Chewie Hands Off Lightsaber to NASA: Luke Skywalker’s original Jedi lightsaber makes its way into space (for real) with NASA astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery in October.”
Amazing the impact one word can have. Especially when that one word is Jedi.
And in response to the comment about what has NASA given us…What about the ultimate space superiority title on planet Earth: Americans on the Moon.
Who cares how long ago it was, it still has yet to be topped. Next stop, Mars. Hey how about sending the original Jabba prop to Mars? hehe, now THAT would be a sight to remember.
‘Nuff said.
It belongs in a museum!
I say, “Lets send George into space. He has the money.”
That’s Luke’s lightsaber from “Return of the Jedi”, I thought they were sending his “original” lightsaber, the one from “A New Hope”.
Too bad Han Solo wasn’t around to join the fun. Watching the movies so many times, I can’t see Princess Leia and Chewbacca without Han Solo around.
If Leia had come in her bikini, then people would have forgot about the lighsaber!
Luke’s costume here is real cool, and it’s a pity that not enough people use this one in conventions, and stick to his ANH attire.
If this is his ROTJ prop, what happened to the *real* original lightsaber from ANH? Is it still somewhere down a shaft in Bespin?
Not so sure about the guy they picked for Luke there.. Looks more like Luke Sky-mosey-er, or Luke Skyy-Drinker.
This is so cool!:)
Why isn’t Luke handing over his own light saber?
This is so cool!Go Chewie. But I ahve a tiny question. why isn’t Mark Hamile the one handing Luke’s lightsaber to NASA? Oh, and is “Chewie” the real actor from the movies?
heck, i’m jealous of that prop! xD when i read this on a forum, i thought it was a fanfic! really really cool!
I would love to be on vacation. I have not had one in six years and desperately need one – maybe even a second honeymoon would be great and I am very jealous of the movie prop. Who would have thought one could be jealous of a movie prop? Maybe a movie star but an inanimate object. Well like yoda says there is no such thing as try only do or do not.
I know my husband would love to attend the October celebration in Paris. His birthday is coming up in a few weeks and he would love to attend that. We got Rick McCallum’s autograph at C2 in Indianapolis. We just happened to run into him and had him sign our id badges because we did not have anything else on us for him to sign. I was the one that spotted him and had an extra marker on us just in case. Since then, we have a daughter now and want her to experience some good things like how good can always over come evil and that there is always hope like in Star Wars 4 – A new hope. We named her Katrina Rose so maybe people will start learning that good can come out of bad and start to heal from the hurricane and work together to make it happen.
SUPER GRANDIOSO ES LA MEJOR NOTICIA DEL MUNDO QUIEN DIRIA EL GRAN CHEWI EN LA NASA CUMPLIENDO UN LEGADO UNA MISION DIGNA DE UN SERVIDOR LEAL SALUDOS A TODA LA LUCAS FILM
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Auldor – don’t you think this trivializes the work that NASA does for all of us ignorant tax payers?
this is really cool. it is one of the best things that will ever go up into space!!!!
[...] Le altre le trovate qui. postato da Carla C. il gioved
This is so cool! The best thing that’s going into space ever!
I also think that Luke Skywalker should of been the one to turn over his Lightsaber to the airline, thanks
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Impressive, most impressive
im lucky i live right next to houston and im going to see it when it is on display
I don’t care if it’s $.00005 the government steals from me to advertise for LucasFilms–it’s still taken by force through taxes. People who wouldn’t choose the “service” should not be made victims of armed robbery to support such things.
[...] Luke Skywalker
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[...] Luke Skywalker’s light saber from the first (Episode IV for the geeks) Star Wars movie was taken into space aboard the space shuttle Discovery.
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