NASA-themed Lego set featuring women gains momentum
In the world of Lego, a unique project is making waves, aiming to increase public recognition of the history of women in STEM fields. Maia Weinstock, the deputy editor of MIT News, has been creating miniature Lego figurines to honor and promote scientists and engineers.
One of her most notable creations is the Women of NASA set, which was submitted to Lego Ideas last summer. The set, featuring four mini-figures of Nancy Grace Roman, Margaret Hamilton, Sally Ride, and Mae Jemison, was scheduled for retail release on November 1, 2017. However, it appears this was the original release date, and the set has since become a recognised official Lego product honoring pioneering women in STEM fields.
Margaret Hamilton led the development of software for the Apollo missions while at MIT, and Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman in space in 1992. Katherine Johnson is known for calculating and verifying trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo programs, while Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983. Nancy Grace Roman was one of the first female executives at NASA and was instrumental in the planning of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Weinstock chose Legos as her medium because of the childlike wonder associated with playing with toys that resemble people. Her Lego creations aim to showcase a diverse group of women, including those from various fields, cultural backgrounds, ages, and NASA programs, such as the space flight and astronomy programs.
The Women of NASA set is just one example of Weinstock's efforts to set an example for girls and boys to normalize women's presence in STEM fields. Weinstock has also created Lego figurines for MIT faculty members, such as the John and Dorothy Wilson Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Sangeeta Bhatia. Bhatia expressed her excitement about being immortalized in Lego, hoping it would inspire young tinkerers to aspire to become engineers at MIT.
E.A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics Maria T. Zuber, the first woman to lead a NASA planetary mission, expressed support for the Women of NASA project. As of the latest 2025 information, there is no indication that a new version or re-release of this set is planned for purchase. Instead, recent Lego NASA-related sets focus on other themes, such as the NASA Artemis Space Launch System, anticipated around 2025-2026.
Therefore, if you are seeking to purchase the original Women of NASA Lego set, it would likely be through secondary markets as it is not currently listed as a new release by Lego. Nonetheless, the set stands as a testament to the achievements of these trailblazing women in STEM and serves as an inspiration for future generations.
- Maia Weinstock, deputy editor of MIT News, uses Lego to honor and promote women in STEM fields.
- The Women of NASA set, designed by Weinstock, features four mini-figures of trailblazing women in STEM.
- Mae Jemison, a part of the Women of NASA set, was the first African-American woman in space in 1992.
- Margaret Hamilton, another figure in the set, led software development for the Apollo missions at MIT.
- Katherine Johnson, also honored in the set, calculated and verified trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo programs.
- Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, is also a part of the Women of NASA Lego set.
- Nancy Grace Roman, the first female executive at NASA, was instrumental in planning the Hubble Space Telescope.
- Weinstock chose Lego to create a diverse representation of women in STEM, including those from various fields and backgrounds.
- Sangeeta Bhatia, a faculty member at MIT, was immortalized in Lego by Weinstock, inspiring young tinkerers to aspire to become engineers.
- Maria T. Zuber, the first woman to lead a NASA planetary mission, supports the Women of NASA project.
- The Women of NASA set serves as an inspiration for future generations, even if new versions or re-releases are not planned for purchase.
- If you're seeking to purchase the original Women of NASA Lego set, it's likely available through secondary markets.
- Recent Lego NASA-related sets focus on themes such as the NASA Artemis Space Launch System.
- The achievements of these trailblazing women in STEM are represented and celebrated in the Women of NASA Lego set.
- Weinstock's Lego creations aim to set an example and normalize women's presence in STEM fields for both girls and boys.
