In a few short months, the Curiosity model received more than 10,000 votes from fans. In the spring of 2012, before NASA’s Curiosity rover successfully landed on Mars on August 6, a NASA contractor submitted a design of the Curiosity rover through the precursor to the LEGO IDEAS website, LEGO CUUSOO. NASA and the LEGO Group hosted another “Build the Future” event at the launch of the Juno spacecraft. Affixed to Juno were three miniature LEGO figures, representing Jupiter, Juno, and Galileo. In August 2011, NASA launched the Juno spacecraft to Jupiter from Canaveral Air Force Station aboard an Atlas V rocket. NASA and the LEGO Group held a “Build the Future” event in advance of the Space Shuttle Endeavor STS -134 mission launch. The final launch of Space Shuttle Endeavor STS-134 carried a LEGO bricks payload that would later be assembled by astronauts on the ISS to demonstrate differences in how LEGOs react in zero gravity compared to LEGOs on Earth. Several of the educational LEGO sets flew on board the International Space Station (ISS), where they were assembled by astronauts on-orbit along with children and student groups across the country. The LEGO Group released NASA-inspired products in their LEGO CITY line and, together with NASA, developed innovative educational STEM-related activities and products. The LEGO Group donated its life-sized Spirit/Opportunity rover model made of LEGO bricks to the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitors Center, where it remains on view to the public today. Both kits were part of a licensed “Discovery Kids” theme, which sought to connect students with real rather than science-fiction space missions. The LEGO Group also produced a larger, more complex model of Spirit/Opportunity. These mini-characters and the mini-DVD components were made from materials able to withstand the harsh Martian environment.īased on the design information provided by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech, the LEGO Group released the “LEGO Mars Exploration Rover” kit, which included replicas of the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter, one of the Mars Exploration Rovers, and the Delta II rocket and launch tower that carried both to Mars. Through the Planetary Society’s “Red Rover Goes to Mars” outreach effort, astrobot mini-characters named Biff Starling (on board Spirit) and Sandy Moondust (on board Opportunity) blogged about their journey to Mars during the initial stages of the mission. Each rover included construction bricks and an image of an “astrobot” (astronaut robot) brick character affixed to the spacecraft, as well as a CD with a digital list of names from the “Send Your Name to Mars” contest. Soon after the Mars rovers got their names, NASA launched Spirit and Opportunity from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The LEGO Group constructed a life-size model of the NASA Mars Exploration Rover, displayed at several museums, conferences, and public events to promote the “Name the Rovers” competition and the Mars mission. Each DVD carried the names of about 4 million people to two different locations on Mars that, over the course of the rovers’ years-long journeys, would each reveal signs of ancient water, a key ingredient for life as we know it. The LEGO Group also helped NASA to provide an opportunity to “Send Your Name to Mars” on a mini-DVD on board each of the twin rovers. NASA selected the names “Spirit” and “Opportunity” through a student essay contest that drew nearly 10,000 entries. The LEGO Group teamed with the Planetary Society and NASA’s Mars Public Engagement Program to execute a NASA contest to name the Mars Exploration Rovers. In addition to lesson plans and teacher guides, the series features weekly videos that introduce the LEGO Space Team and their NASA Artemis I team counterparts, helping students better understand STEM space careers and the knowledge and skills that go into completing successful space missions. Through open-ended lessons, students will get hands-on experience and solve problems similar to those the Artemis I team members face as they build toward launch. Four LEGO minfigures will also fly aboard Orion, packaged along with other mementos selected by the agency to fly on Artemis I, to further connect and engage kids with the educational series and highlight NASA careers. In addition to providing inspiration for several NASA-themed sets over the past several years, NASA has recently partnered with LEGO Education to engage with thousands of educators and students through “Build to Launch,” 10-week digital learning series exploring the technology, STEM concepts and careers behind the Artemis I mission to the Moon. NASA and the LEGO Group have a long history of collaboration on projects that engage children and adults alike to encourage interest in STEM fields and space exploration.
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