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One tiny big step for womankind with Lego’s NASA figurines

To infinity and beyond

02.03.2017

By Gwen Ong

One tiny big step for womankind with Lego’s NASA figurines

With International Women’s Day coming up (that’s 8th March in case you’re wondering), Lego has announched plans to release a set of mini figurines in honour of five pioneering women who played significant roles in NASA. The five are based on real women including Sally Ride, a physicist who was the first American woman in space in 1983.

The Women of NASA set comes from the winning entry by American science writer, Maia Weinstock, in the Logo Ideas competition. Her design was chosen in part for its “inspirational value” where women’s contributions to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) have largely been under-appreciated.

Besides Sally Ride, the Women of Nasa collection features Katherine Johnson, a mathematician whose work plotted trajectories for early space missions; Margaret Hamilton, a computer scientist who developed software used for Apollo missions; Nancy Grace Roman, an astronomer who is known as ‘Mother of Hubble’ for her role in the giant space telescope programme; and Mae Jemison, an engineer and doctor who became the first African-American woman in space in 1992.

“We are really excited to be able to introduce Maia’s Women of NASA set for its fun and educational value as well as its build and play experience,” said Lego Marketing Manager Lise Dydensborg in a video announcement.

Lego’s Women of NASA set is scheduled to hit shelves late this year or early 2018.

 

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