Photo Credit: Maia Weinstock
Five female NASA scientists, astronauts and engineers will be immortalized in LEGO form after a design by Maia Weinstock beat out the competition in LEGOs' Ideas review.
LEGO announced that they will release a set of five female NASA figures, representing some of the scientists, astronauts and engineers that have worked with the space agency over the years. The design beat out 11 other competitors like plans for a Large Hadron Collider made entirely out of LEGO.
LEGO typically holds a competition twice a year in which it invites people from all over the world to submit their ideas for possible sets that could go into production. LEGO Ideas spokeswoman Lisa Dydensborg announced the results in a video posted online saying that LEGO choose the Women of NASA set because of its "inspirational value."
Weinberg said that LEGO choosing her set was a 'dream come true.'
The five female scientists draw from NASA's history - which has been enjoying a resurgence of late after the movie 'Hidden Figures' told the stories of black NASA scientists Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.
Here's who will be appearing in the Women of NASA LEGO set.
Margaret Hamilton - Computer Scientist: While working at MIT under contract with NASA in the 60s, Hamilton developed the on-board software for the Apollo missions to the moon. She is best known for modernizing the idea of software.
KATHERINE JOHNSON, mathematician and space scientist: A longtime NASA researcher, Johnson is best known for calculating and verifying trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo programs — including the Apollo 11 mission that first landed humans on the moon.
SALLY RIDE, astronaut, physicist, and educator: A physicist by training, Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983. After retiring as a NASA astronaut, she founded an educational company focusing on encouraging children — especially girls — to pursue the sciences.
NANCY GRACE ROMAN, astronomer: One of the first female executives at NASA, Roman is known to many as the "Mother of Hubble" for her role in planning the Hubble Space Telescope. She also developed NASA's astronomy research program.
MAE JEMISON, astronaut, physician, and entrepreneur: Trained as a medical doctor, Jemison became the first African-American woman in space in 1992. After retiring from NASA, Jemison established a company that develops new technologies and encourages students in the sciences.