'Space Gal' Emily Calandrelli Joins Marvel's Iron Man Show on Disney Jr.

Emily Calandrelli, known online as 'The Space Gal,' is joining the Marvel universe in a big way. The scientist and astronaut is lending her voice to an episode of Disney Jr.'s animated show 'Marvel's Iron Man and His Awesome Friends.' The episode, called 'The Iron Friends in Space,' premieres on Disney Jr. on October 14 and will be available on Disney+ starting October 28.

In the episode, Calandrelli voices a character named Astronaut Amy. Astronaut Amy visits a moon-themed museum with Iron Man, Ironheart, Amadeus Cho, and Vision. The exhibit has a holographic model of the moon and other space displays, giving Astronaut Amy the chance to teach the young heroes about space and the moon. It's a fun way to mix real science facts with Marvel's superhero world.

Calandrelli is not just a voice actress — she is an engineer, author, and TV host who has spent her career making science fun and easy to understand. She has millions of followers on social media, where she posts educational videos about space. She also appeared on the Netflix series 'Bill Nye Saves the World,' hosted by the famous science teacher Bill Nye. Her whole career has been about getting kids and young people excited about science, technology, engineering, and math, also known as STEM.

In November 2024, Calandrelli became the 100th woman to reach space when she launched aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket on a mission called NS-28. The rocket carried her above the Kármán line, which is the boundary that marks where Earth's atmosphere ends and outer space begins. She experienced several minutes of weightlessness before the capsule safely returned to Earth. That real spaceflight experience is part of what makes her appearance on the show so special.

The show itself follows younger versions of popular Marvel superheroes, like Tony Stark and Riri Williams, also known as Iron Man and Ironheart. Instead of saving the world from huge disasters, the young heroes in this show solve smaller problems and work together as a team. Both Iron Man and Ironheart are known for their love of technology and engineering, so having a real-life scientist on the show fits right in. Calandrelli's role gives kids a chance to see how real space science connects to the Marvel stories they love.

This is not the first time a real astronaut has appeared in a Marvel animated series. In March 2023, former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison — the first Black woman to travel to space — guest-starred in Disney's 'Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.' Jemison voiced a fictional app in that show. Another citizen astronaut, Kellie Gerardi, also recently announced she has a role in an upcoming Disney animated movie called 'Hexed.' Real scientists appearing in these shows helps make space exploration feel exciting and possible for young viewers.

Disney also announced big plans for the Iron Man show's future. Starting next summer, the series will grow into a larger show called 'Marvel's Avengers: Mightiest Friends.' That new show will add even more beloved characters, including Captain America, Hulk, Black Panther, Black Widow, and Thor. For Calandrelli, being part of this expanding Marvel world is another step in her mission to inspire the next generation of space explorers. She hopes kids who watch the episode will feel curious about space and what it takes to get there.