As recommended by: Skeith73 and ccmac10
Named after non-fictional astronaut Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11, Lightyear found fame in the Toy Story film series, the first of which was released in 1995. He is a space ranger from Intergalactic Alliance and his extensive range of alien weapons made him among the most popular space-travelling toys Photograph: Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar
As recommended by: Michael John Jackson
Michael John Jackson tells us how the character, played in the 1980 film of the same title by Sam J Jones, is 'about to meet certain death at the end of every episode, but somehow managed to survive'. The film was based on the popular comic strip by Alex Raymond, where Flash, polo player and Yale graduate, is sent into space after Earth suffers a string of 'natural' disasters that have in fact been orchestrated by Ming the Merciless Photograph: Rex Features
As recommended by: atolley and FirstWorlder
Jane Fonda plays an astronaut whose adventures are based on the French comic strips of Jean-Claude Forest. Atolley believes she is the sexiest fictional astronaut. The film, released in 1968, follows the story of Barbarella's mission to Tau Ceti to bring back missing scientist Durand Durand Photograph: Rex Features
As recommended by: ElmerPhudd and Dashio
Dashio refers to the animated Duck Dodgers as 'splendid' and reminds us of his inspiration: Captain Anthony 'Buck' Rogers, a comic-book hero who made the transition to films in 1939 (in later incarnations his name changed to William 'Buck' Rogers) . The cartoon from 1953 presents Daffy Duck as a space traveller on a search for the elusive 'illudium phosdex' element Photograph: PR
As recommended by: Peter Mattsson and RealDealBillMcneal
Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is the protagonist astronaut of Duncan Jones's 2009 sci-fi film Moon. Bell is depicted having a self-discovery after three years of solitude on the moon. RealDealBillMcneal comments that: 'Rockwell gives a superb performance as the isolated Bell' Photograph: Rex Features
As recommended by: Moon1874
A Grand Day Out, from 1989, was the first adventure to feature Nick Park's plasticine twosome. When Wensleydale addict Wallace runs out of cheese, believing the myth of the moon's substance, he sets off with trusty Gromit in a hunt for supplies. Their outing gets a little out of hand when they come across the 'cooker', a robotic figure who is not happy with their rocket parking. Wallace and Gromit make a quick escape, Gromit's initiative ensuring a safe arrival back to Earth Photograph: Aardman/Allstar
As recommended by: DarkAnaemicI and atolley
Atolley suggests the Planet of the Apes protagonist deserves a spot for going the 'furthest in time' and for 'survival under hostile conditions'. After more than 2,000 years in deep hibernation, American astronaut and scientist George Taylor, played by Charlton Heston, quickly becomes the sole survivor of a mission to an unknown planet Photograph: Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar
As recommended by: jjclose & YorkerBouncer
A rather reluctant astronaut, Arthur Dent is nevertheless dragged around the universe by his friend Ford Prefect – who, it turns out, isn't from Guildford at all – to escape Vogons intent on demolishing Earth. First broadcast in 1978, the radio show The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which he stars, also inspired several books, a TV series, a play, a comic strip and a 2005 film Photograph: BBC
As recommended by: Yorker Bouncer
Alan is the youngest of the Tracy brothers in the 1960s science-fiction series of Thunderbirds. The show traces his development from troublesome teenager to the brave astronaut and pilot of Thunderbird 3 Photograph: Rex Features
As recommended by: Tom Pickering
This children's cartoon series first aired in 1963, its protagonists can perhaps be deemed the cutest fictional astronauts. Bleep, from planet Miron, travelled through space with human astronaut Booster over the course of 313 five-minute episodes Photograph: PR
