The space shuttle Discovery will be well-protected when it launches next month. On August 28, 2007, Chewbacca handed over Luke Skywalker’s original Jedi lightsaber from the 1983 film Return of the Jedi to NASA officials in a special ceremony at Oakland International Airport in California.

In celebration of the movie’s 30th anniversary, the laser-like weapon will be joining the seven-person crew of the Discovery on their journey to the International Space Station. The shuttle is targeted to launch on October 23, 2007.

See photos of the event

Read about the space shuttle Discovery