Lego Space Station...in space!

[Pingles]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46523404/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T0kl34c7Xko

It took more than 200 astronauts from 12 countries more than a dozen years to build the International Space Station (ISS). Satoshi Furukawa, an astronaut from Japan, matched that feat in just about two hours — and he did it all while aboard the orbiting outpost itself.

It helped that his space station was made out of LEGO.

[Hrw-Amen]

Interesting but they did not explain why LEGO is a fire hazard? Is it normally a fire hazard and we just don't worry about it on Earth or is there something specific to space that makes it burst into flames after two hours? If it is going to do that then how is simply taking it apart again going to help as you still have all the same bricks just stored in a smaller box?

[zinfinion]

Too bad it would collapse under its own weight when not in microgravity. Some more pics and videos at http://www.legospace.com/

[brickmack]

Kinda interesting. They really need to get artificial gravity going when they do this stuff though (They can do this in the outer parts for short periods by rotating the station), it would make it much easier.

Interesting but they did not explain why LEGO is a fire hazard? Is it normally a fire hazard and we just don't worry about it on Earth or is there something specific to space that makes it burst into flames after two hours? If it is going to do that then how is simply taking it apart again going to help as you still have all the same bricks just stored in a smaller box?

I don't know this either. I was thinking it might have been increased pressure or oxygen content, but if I remember correctly the pressure is the same as at sea level, and oxygen content is the same as on Earth to prevent fires from small sparks like what happened in the Apollo program. Then I was thinking it might be radiation exposure altering the chemistry of the plastic to make it more flammable, but a few google searches didn't show up anything (Though I doubt there are many studies on this yet...)

[Lyichir]

That's the one! It appeared in lots of pics from LEGOSpace.com, alongside other sets. But unlike the others, it never got released to the general public! Kind of a letdown, especially seeing as it seems to have 1 x 8 tiles in trans-blue.

Glad to see it's finally been built.

[Front]

Cool to see that Japanese astronaut letting the minifigure float in no gravity (on legospace.xom). The atlantis suit finally made it into space

Astronaut

[simonjedi]

We've just reached the peak of mankind. Nothing will ever top something this amazing. It's just downhill from here.

[Sid Sidious]

Interesting but they did not explain why LEGO is a fire hazard? Is it normally a fire hazard and we just don't worry about it on Earth or is there something specific to space that makes it burst into flames after two hours? If it is going to do that then how is simply taking it apart again going to help as you still have all the same bricks just stored in a smaller box?

It's a fire hazard because a piece could potentially float away and get jammed into some cooling equipment on the space station. If it got into the cooling fan for a computer, for example, it could overheat the motherboard and light it on fire. Since there is gravity on Earth, we don't have to worry about this.

[Rumble Strike]

That's awesome. I guess if you're a bit bored in space, just go and play with your Lego!

I would still have liked to have seen that set as an exclusive or something, although adapted for Earth gravity, of course

[Lyichir]

That's awesome. I guess if you're a bit bored in space, just go and play with your Lego!

I would still have liked to have seen that set as an exclusive or something, although adapted for Earth gravity, of course

Hopefully it's not too late for that. It got the CGI treatment like many of last year's City Space sets, so perhaps they were waiting to give the astronauts the first shot at it? It's not likely, but seeing as the LEGO City branding doesn't expire like other short-lived themes, it's not impossible.

[Leela]

I really believed it'd be released as a set but then lost all hope :( But it's great to see it built, especially on board of the real ISS. It's a beautiful model, I'd love to get it.

[brickmack]

It would be nice to see this released as a set, lots of great looking stuff. It'd definitely need a lot of technic bracing and other strengthening just to stay together on Earth.

[Vincent Kessels]

That is some extreme bag building!

This takes bag building to a new level.

[Aanchir]

Hopefully it's not too late for that. It got the CGI treatment like many of last year's City Space sets, so perhaps they were waiting to give the astronauts the first shot at it? It's not likely, but seeing as the LEGO City branding doesn't expire like other short-lived themes, it's not impossible.

As has been mentioned in the article, this International Space Station model can only be built in zero-gravity-- it isn't designed with the stability that would be necessary for Earth's gravity.

I should mention that LEGOspace.com has updated with lots of new photos and videos. Some of them are related to this article, while some are not. I'm particularly impressed with the Soyuz spacecraft sketch model, which uses Technic panels for its rockets. The ISS vignettes are also nice. I believe I read last year that they were designed as gifts for NASA astronauts.