Lego Is Finally Releasing a 'Women of NASA' Set And The Details Are Amazing : ScienceAlert

Lego announced on Wednesday that it would release a 'Women of NASA' set.

The US$25 kit goes on sale November 1 - just in time for the holiday gift-giving season - and builds on a laudable trend of selling toys that are more inclusive of women.

"Women of NASA" features four mini figurines of pioneering women from the space agency: the astronauts Sally Ride and Mae Jemison, the astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, and the computer scientist Margaret Hamilton.

Each figurine will also come with a backdrop related to their work at NASA, including the space shuttle Challenger and the Hubble Space Telescope.

Maia Weinstock, a deputy editor at MIT News, submitted her idea for the kit in July 2016 to Lego's Ideas community, where members create and vote on new set plans. If Lego picks an idea from the site, submitters get a 1 percent cut of sales and licensing revenue.

Weinstock's submission got more than 10,000 votes, triggering an automatic review by Lego staff, which decided to manufacture and sell it. (Lego's giant Saturn V moon rocket set, released in June, came about the same way.)

Here's a close-up look at the kit and what it includes - and one very important piece it's missing.

The four figurines are moulded in the likenesses of the woman they represent:

The four figurines are molded in the likenesses of the woman they represent. From left: Nancy Grace Roman, Margaret Hamilton, Sally Ride, and Mae Jemison. Image: Lego Ideas

Each set will come with 231 pieces and some brand-new parts:

Lego Ideas

The astronaut, physicist, and entrepreneur Sally Ride will come in a 1980s training flight suit:

The astronaut, physicist, and entrepreneur Sally Ride will come in a 1980s training flight suit. Lego Ideas

Mae Jemison, an astronaut, physician, and engineer, wears a 1990s space shuttle flight suit:

Mae Jemison, an astronaut, physician, and engineer, wears a 1990s space shuttle flight suit. Lego Ideas

Both astronauts will have a mini space shuttle to stand by:

Both astronauts will have a mini space shuttle to stand by. Lego Ideas

The space shuttle even separates into its three stages: the solid rocket boosters (left), the main fuel tank (orange), and the orbiter (right):

The space shuttle even separates into its three stages: the solid rocket boosters (left), the main fuel tank (orange), and the orbiter (right). Lego Ideas

The astronomer and teacher Nancy Grace Roman, 92, is modeled as her 1959 likeness:

The astronomer and teacher Nancy Grace Roman, 92, is modeled as her 1959 likeness. Lego Ideas

Roman is often called the "Mother of Hubble" for helping get the space-telescope mission off the ground:

Roman is often called the "Mother of Hubble" for helping get the space-telescope mission off the ground. Lego Ideas

Finally, the set will include a 1960s Margaret Hamilton, who's a computer scientist and entrepreneur:

Finally, the set will include a 1960s Margaret Hamilton, who's a computer scientist and entrepreneur. Lego Ideas

Hamilton, who is now 81, led the development of flight software for the Apollo moon missions:

Hamilton, who is now 81, led the development of flight software for the Apollo moon missions. Lego Ideas

After Lego produced its first kits, Hamilton got a first look at herself as a plastic figurine:

After Lego produced its first kits, Hamilton got a first look at herself as a plastic figurine. Lego Ideas

Hamilton also met Weinstock and the Lego designer who helped usher the kit to production:

Hamilton also met Weinstock and the Lego designer who helped usher the kit to production. From left: Hamilton, Tara Wike (the Lego designer), and Maia Weinstock. Image Lego Ideas

As Gizmodo reported on Wednesday, however, one figurine is missing from Weinstock's kit: Katherine Johnson, a mathematician at NASA whose remarkable story of working on the Mercury and Apollo programs was the focus of the film "Hidden Figures".

20th Century Fox

A Lego representative told Gizmodo: "In order for us to move forward with a partner we need to obtain approval from all key people, which was not possible in this case. We naturally fully respect this decision."

President Barack Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson on November 24, 2015.

This article was originally published by Business Insider.