Lego is aiming high again with a new model for space geeks, this time celebrating the more than 20 years that the International Space Station has been a home to the science and exploration necessary to advancing human space travel and improving life on Earth.
- The 864-piece Lego set, due to be released on Feb. 1 at a price of $69.99, features specially created solar panel decorations and other features, and allows builders to dock with a shuttle, schedule a space walk, deploy a satellite and more. “The real ISS is complex and changing, so we asked NASA experts to check and approve this final design,” Lego said in a video on Twitter on Tuesday.
- Lego wasn’t content with just building the model on the ground — the company sent one to the outer stratosphere to get it as close as possible to the real ISS. The video shows the Lego ISS being launched while attached to a balloon and then reaching its extraordinary height.
An out-of-this-world building experience is coming! ????⭐️ The LEGO International Space Station is available February 1st! https://t.co/DZwnyE12EN pic.twitter.com/rcNGTeqC2H
— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) January 21, 2020
- The Lego ISS was born out of Lego Ideas, which encourages enthusiasts to create their own models and submit them through the company’s website to see if they can get enough votes to have the creation turned into a buildable Lego model for all. Previous space-themed builds have included the Women of NASA set, which is now retired, and the Apollo Saturn V rocket, which is retiring soon.
