LEGO has joined forces with the European Space Agency as part of an initiative to build shelters on the Moon.
The toy manufacturer announced in a press release that it had partnered with the agency to make bricks out of meteorite dust.
The bricks, which closely resemble the distinctive toy blocks, are part of a project to build structures on the Moon.
The ESA is looking to construct launch pads and astronaut shelters – meaning explorers could soon reside in Lego-inspired accommodations.
When the ESA team started looking into building on the Moon, it wanted to use materials that naturally occur in space.
“No one has ever built a structure on the Moon, so we have to work out not only how we build them but what we build them out of, as we can’t take any materials with us,” ESA science officer Aidan Cowley explained.
Both Earth and the Moon are covered in regolith, a layer of loose rock and dust that sits atop a layer of bedrock.
But it differs in compositions – meaning the scientists quickly encountered a problem.
Aside from samples collected by the Apollo missions, there is no Moon regolith on Earth.
Faced with limited options, the ESA team settled on meteorite dust. They singled out a 4.5-billion-year-old rock discovered in Northwest Africa at the turn of the century.
The meteorite is packed with materials from space including metal grains and small particles of formerly molten silicate known as chondrules.
The researchers combined the meteorite dust with regolith and biodegradable plastic.
The concoction was then used to 3D-print blocks “that mimic and behave just like LEGO bricks.”
The bricks snap together like the toys that inspired them, allowing the team to prototype without going into orbit.
“My team and I love creative construction and had the idea to explore whether space dust could be formed into a brick similar to a Lego brick so we could test different building techniques,” Cowley said.
“The result is amazing, and while the bricks may look a little rougher than usual, importantly the clutch power still works, enabling us to play and test our designs.”
Fifteen of the ESA Space Bricks will be on public display through September.
They will be on view at select retail locations in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia.
Lego enthusiasts can also spot them at the Lego House in Billund, Denmark – the hometown of the iconic toy.
The Lego House is filled with 25 million bricks arranged into waterfalls, plants, and animals.
Reservations are required to enter the park, so tickets must be booked in advance.
The ESA LEGO bricks will be on display at the following stores from June 24 to September 20, 2024.
United States of America
The LEGO Store, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota
The LEGO Store, Disney Springs, Florida
The LEGO Store, Water Tower Place, Chicago
The LEGO Store, Disneyland Resort, California
The LEGO Store, 5th Avenue, New York
Canada
The LEGO Store, West Edmonton
United Kingdom
The LEGO Store, Leicester Square, London
Germany
The LEGO Store, München Zentrum
The LEGO Store, Cologne
Denmark
The LEGO Store, Copenhagen
LEGO House, Billund
Spain
The LEGO Store, Barcelona
France
The LEGO Store, Paris
Netherlands
The LEGO Store, Amsterdam
Australia
The LEGO Store, Sydney
