An upcoming Lego set is to feature the 'women of NASA'.
The set will include 'minifigures' of five prominent women from NASA's history:
- computer scientist Margaret Hamilton
- mathematician & space scientist Katherine Johnson (who was recently portrayed by Taraji P Henson in the film Hidden Figures)
- astronaut & physicist Sally Ride
- astronomer Nancy Grace Roman (often referred to as the 'Mother of Hubble')
- astronaut & physician Mae Jemison
The set will also include a mini space shuttle, a depiction of the code that landed astronauts on the moon in 1969, and a 'microscale' Hubble Space Telescope.
The set was designed by Maia Weinstock (20tauri), who argues many women's critical contributions in the history of the US space programme "are unknown or under-appreciated".
She says the set is designed to celebrate the five NASA pioneers and to provide "an educational building experience to help young ones and adults alike learn about the history of women in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics]".
The set was submitted as part of the 'Lego Ideas' scheme, which allows fans to design their own sets.
After the proposed designs are uploaded to the Lego website, community members vote on the designs they want Lego designers to review and potentially bring to market.
Lego Ideas marketing manager Lise said: "As a science editor and writer, with a strong personal interest for space exploration as well as the history of women in science and engineering, Maia Weinstock’s Women of NASA project was a way for her to celebrate accomplished women in the STEM profession - in particular those who’ve made a big impact through their work at NASA."
The Women of NASA set will be released in late 2017 or early 2018.