Lego launches epic 2,354-piece NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set

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Every time you lose your mind staring at an eye-popping Hubble image, be sure to thank the crew of the space shuttle Discovery that delivered the space telescope into orbit in 1990. Lego is celebrating that trailblazing mission with a 2,354-piece Discovery and Hubble set.

The new kit is a Lego version of the STS-31 Hubble deployment mission. STS stands for “space transportation system.” The $200 (£170) kit is geared for ages 18 and over and launches in April.

Lego collaborated with NASA on the design of the set, which features movable payload doors on the shuttle. The Hubble model can fold up and fit into the shuttle, or the solar arrays can be folded out to show the telescope in its full glory. Other details include a robotic arm, a command module that opens up to show the flight deck and deployable landing gear.

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“This dynamic duo represent humanity’s greatest endeavor — the quest for knowledge. Discovery and Hubble continue to inspire,” NASA tweeted on Monday in response to Lego’s unveiling of the shuttle set.

Former NASA astronaut Kathy Sullivan, one of the five STS-31 crew members, joined up with Lego to launch the new kit.

“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 Sullivan in a statement from Lego on Sunday.

Lego and NASA are building on a history of plastic-brick collaborations that have included the Apollo 11 lunar lander, a Saturn V rocket and the International Space Station.

The space shuttle remains one of NASA’s most iconic vehicles. Hubble, which has celebrated over 30 years in space, is responsible for some of the most stunning views of our cosmos ever seen. It’s been decades since the two teamed up in real life, but they’re together once again in miniature, an inspiring tribute to their collective legacy.