Lego has launched the NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set (10283) to celebrate the 40th anniversary since the first Space Shuttle flight (STS-31) on 12 April 1981. The huge 2,354-piece set features both the Discovery shuttle and also the Hubble Space Telescope, and it’s meant for builders aged 18 and over.
“The Space Shuttle is the most complex vehicle ever made, so as you can imagine, translating this into LEGO was an exciting challenge. In the real vehicle every inch of space is used in ingenious ways,” said Lego Set Designer Milan Madge.
The Lego NASA Discovery shuttle itself has insanely detailed features. It includes a landing gear, and payload bay doors that open—which also feature reflective stickers to mimic cooling radiators found on the real shuttle orbiter.
It also has a rear that houses the three main engines used for launch into orbit. The tail’s rudder serves as a speed brake to assist in landing control and rollout on the runway after touchdown.
The interior is also pretty detailed. The crew cabin features five seats in their correct placement for the astronauts on the STS-31 mission. It also has a flight and robotic arm, as well as control panels. Meanwhile, the mid-desk contains the space shuttle’s lockers for necessities and mission equipment, space for the fifth crew member and the airlock to the payload bay.
As for the Hubble Space Telescope that comes with the set, it includes a hinged mirror housing the actual telescope, as well as gold foil solar arrays. The telescope can be displayed separately, but it can also be stowed on the shuttle’s payload bay “ready to be connected to the robotic arm for deployment”—just like how it was used on the STS-31 mission.
“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. 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,” said NASA Astronaut Dr. Kathy Sullivan, who served on the crew of STS-31.
The 2,354-piece Lego NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set will be priced at RM799.90, and it is available to purchase at LEGO Certified Stores from 1 April 2021. The shuttle measures 21.78cm in height, 34.60cm in width, and 55.46cm in length, and the whole set comes with two stands and plaques, for both the shuttle and the Hubble Space Telescope.
