NASA, Lego Celebrate Apollo 11’s 50th Anniversary With New Lunar Lander

Lego, in partnership with NASA, has unveiled a new lunar lander Creator Expert set to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon mission. Lego’s Apollo 11 Lunar Lander Creator Set is scheduled to go on sale starting June 1.

On July 20, NASA will officially celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Apollo 11, the mission that first brought humans to the Moon in 1969 through renowned astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. In anticipation for the momentous event, construction toys manufacturer Lego has released a new kit from its Creator Expert line.

The set features a detailed replica of the Eagle, the lunar module that Aldrin and Armstrong used to reach the Moon. It features a total of 1,087 plastic bricks. Once completed, the Lego Eagle will stand about 7 inches tall and around 8 inches wide with a depth of 7 inches, Space.com reported.

The fully assembled set will feature a detailed module, complete with detachable ascent and descent stages. The descent stage comes complete with two opening bays and gold-colored panels and landing pads. It also comes equipped with the Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly, a platform that Armstrong deployed to access the television camera that captured his historical moonwalk.

The upper portion of the lander, also known as the ascent stage, has a detailed interior featuring lockers and panels with decals. The exterior portion of this stage comes with antennas and moveable thrusters.

The set also comes with two miniature versions of Armstrong and Aldrin, which are dressed in Apollo 11 spacesuits complete with gold visors.

According to Michael McNally, senior director of brand relations at LEGO Systems Inc., the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander Creator Expert set is part of Lego’s ongoing practice of turning children’s playtime into an inspiring experience that can develop their skills in the future.

“There are countless stories of engineers, scientists, astronauts and roboticists who point to their experiences with Lego building as the reason they are engaged in their current careers,” he said in a statement. “We hope that our ongoing commitment to space-themed play materials will inspire future generations to help us continue exploring.

Lego’s Apollo 11 Lunar Lander set will be officially released to the public on June 1. It will be available through the company’s online shop and at official Lego stores for $99.99.