Science writer and LEGO® enthusiast Maia Weinstock had an idea in 2016: create minifigures (called “minifigs” by fans) celebrating notable NASA women. LEGO® accepted her proposal, and she helped its designers create the 231-piece commercially available set (Katherine Johnson declined to participate in the final kit). Within its first 24 hours on Amazon.com in November 2017, the Women of NASA set became the site’s best-selling toy. Weinstock told Space.com that she hoped the toys would spark interest among girls in pursuing careers with NASA.
National Air and Space Museum
Vignette, Prototype, Women of NASA, LEGO Ideas
Object Details
- Manufacturer
- LEGO, Denmark
- Designer
- Ms Maia Weinstock
- Summary
- This framework held the prototypes for the "Women of NASA" set proposed by science writer and LEGO® enthusiast Maia Weinstock in 2016. Weinstock posted her idea on the LEGO® Ideas competition website. Propelled by social media, her concept reached the required 10,000 votes in less than two weeks. After LEGO® accepted her proposal, she helped their designers create the final set for commercial sale.
- The prototypes featured MIT’s Margaret Hamilton, who developed the onboard flight software for Apollo lunar missions, as well as trailblazing astronomer Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, considered the mother of the Hubble Space Telescope. The set also included two NASA astronauts: Dr. Sally K. Ride, the first American woman in space, and Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. The prototypes included NASA mathematician and human computer Katherine Johnson, who ultimately declined to be represented in the final kit.
- Maia Weinstock donated the prototype set to the Museum in 2018.
- Country of Origin
- Denmark
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- Credit Line
- Gift of Maia Weinstock
- Data Source
- National Air and Space Museum
- Inventory Number
- A20190354000
- Type
- MEMORABILIA-Popular Culture
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Materials
- Plastic
- Dimensions
- 3-D: 25.4 × 12.7 × 2.2cm (10 × 5 × 7/8 in.)
- Record ID
- nasm_A20190354000