Lego enthusiasts, astronomers, and space aficionados can now marvel at an exciting new development: LEGO has partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) to produce LEGO bricks made from genuine meteorite dust. This project, aimed at exploring the feasibility of using lunar dust for construction on the moon, features unique LEGO bricks crafted from actual meteorite dust. These bricks will be on display in select LEGO stores, including the flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, until September 20.
Building structures on the moon using local materials, such as lunar regolith (the layer of rocks and mineral sediments on the moon's surface), could save substantial resources compared to transporting construction materials from Earth. Scientists believe that lunar regolith could be used to build the first human colonies outside Earth, similar to how soil, sand, and dust have been used for constructing buildings on Earth for thousands of years.
Due to the scarcity of lunar regolith on Earth, ESA scientists created their own by grinding ancient meteorites. The dust from these meteorites was used to 3D print space-gray LEGO bricks, possessing the same characteristics as regular LEGO bricks. "No one has ever built a structure on the moon, so this was a great opportunity to experiment with various designs and construction techniques using our space bricks," said Aidan Cowley, a science officer at ESA. "It was both fun and useful in scientifically understanding the limits of these techniques."
This unique project comes amidst significant progress toward establishing the first human base on the moon. NASA, in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency and Thales Alenia Space, plans to build the first permanent human outpost on the moon, although not before the 2030s.
For a full list of participating stores, click here.