LEGO and NASA have been working together for quite some time already, and with the recent excitement surrounding the arrival of the Juno Spacecraft together with its LEGO minifigure passengers around the planet Jupiter, NASA has officially announced its latest partnership with The LEGO Group with its summer online program entitled Mission To Space. It’s an engaging web-based activity where budding space explorers can have a virtual journey from Earth to the International Space Station (ISS), Mars and Jupiter while learning key science facts along the way. The journey concludes with a LEGO building challenge that inspires future space explorers to come up with their biggest, and grandest space idea that they can think of.
Here’s the official announcement from NASA and LEGO.
From NASA:
Mission to Space
A NASA-LEGO Partnership
NASA and LEGO have worked together to produce a fun and engaging on-line summer activity. Mission to Space takes kids on a journey through space with visits to the International Space Station, Mars and Jupiter, and gives kids a chance to make their own space creations through an on-line building challenge. NASA research in the four topic areas is essential to humanity’s continuing journey of exploration. Click on the word “Topics” above or just scroll down, and let’s go explore!
From LEGO:
LEGO – Building Your Future
Do you dream about becoming an astronaut? Or are you curious about the Universe? If you could live on any planet in our solar system, where would you live? And why? What would a day be like on your planet?
NASA scientists are always looking for creative ways to explore the Universe. Maybe YOUR dream or idea can lead to the next big discovery or breakthrough in space exploration! Build your space dream, share it with us in the Gallery!
Both LEGO and NASA websites features a treasure trove of learning resources that teach young builders cool space facts, while challenging them to come up with their grandest brick-built space idea, snap a picture, and upload it to LEGO’s Mission to Space Gallery. LEGO will then choose the most creative space idea and will be featured at LEGO.com and the Gallery’s homepage.
To jumpstart your galactic creative juices, take a look at some of these actual videos taken from the ISS sometime in 2012 that shows how it is to live inside aboard the International Space Station. The best part is, it is explained using LEGOs. You may even recognize some of the builds featured in the NASA Mission to Space and LEGO Building Your Future websites.