Yay! LEGO have announced they are bringing out a new Women of NASA set. The Women of NASA Space LEGO set will arrive late 2017/early 2018 in stores.
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Maia Weinstock, Science Editor and writer, with a strong personal interest for space exploration as well as the history of women in science and engineering, submitted the idea for the NASA Women set to Lego Ideas, which then received the 10,000 votes necessary to progress.
As Maia wrote on the submission, “Women have played critical roles throughout the history of the U.S. space program, a.k.a. NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Yet in many cases, their contributions are unknown or under-appreciated — especially as women have historically struggled to gain acceptance in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).”
The five Women of NASA are:
Margaret Hamilton, computer scientist: While working at MIT under contract with NASA in the 1960s, Hamilton developed the on-board flight software for the Apollo missions to the moon. She is known for popularizing the modern concept of software.
Katherine Johnson, mathematician and space scientist: A longtime NASA researcher, Johnson is best known for calculating and verifying trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo programs — including the Apollo 11 mission that first landed humans on the moon. She was recently portrayed in the Hidden Figures movie.
Sally Ride, astronaut, physicist, and educator: A physicist by training, Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and one of the best known female astronauts. After retiring as a NASA astronaut, she founded an educational company focusing on encouraging children — especially girls — to pursue the sciences.
Nancy Grace Roman, astronomer: One of the first female executives at NASA, Roman is known to many as the “Mother of Hubble” for her role in planning the Hubble Space Telescope. She also developed NASA’s astronomy research program.
Mae Jemison, astronaut, physician, and entrepreneur: Trained as a medical doctor, Jemison became the first African-American woman in space in 1992. After retiring from NASA, Jemison established a company that develops new technologies and encourages students in the sciences.
Over to you now. What do you think of the planned Women in NASA Space Lego set? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.