More than three decades ago former NASA astronaut Dr. Kathy Sullivan took part in the mission that launched the Hubble Telescope. Now she’s helping LEGO launch a new set that re-creates the famous ship that took that iconic camera to the stars. She shared her insights and experiences with the LEGO Group for the all-new NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set.
LEGO
The “complex” 2,354-piece collectible designed for adults re-creates the Discovery orbiter. It measures roughly 8.5-inches tall, 13.6-inches wide wide, and 21.8-inches long. The set also has “functional landing gear, payload bay doors, elevons, and rudder.” It also comes with a LEGO Hubble Space Telescope. It can “folded and contained” within the ship’s payload bay. Or you can expand it with its solar array. Both elements also come with their own display plaque with “key data” from the actual mission.
In addition to celebrating its own mission, the collection will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle flight. It first took to the stars on April 12, 1981.
LEGO
“I was thrilled to see the space shuttle in LEGO form, and was very impressed by the amount of intricate detail they have managed to recreate from the module where we used to sleep and eat through to what we called the ‘milk stalls’ on the telescope,” said Dr. Sullivan in a statement. “Looking at the model, it was great to reminisce about my experiences in space launching the telescope for the first time. Hubble is definitely the highlight of my career. This LEGO model is a great way for LEGO builders and space fans alike to get excited about space travel and learn more about the famous mission in a fun and engaging way.”
The set’s designers also provided an up-close look at all of the set’s pieces and details.
The LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set ($199.99) goes on sale April 1. You can grab yours at LEGO.com or local retailers. It will also kick off LEGO’s new Go Beyond campaign. You can read more about it and watch an interview with Dr. Sullivan at LEGO’s website to learn more about both.
We don’t know how much she knows about LEGO. But nobody will know more about Discovery and launching Hubble.
