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\t\t\t\t\t\t13\/03\/2025<\/span> After a hectic four years of work ESA\u2019s Hera mission for planetary defence was launched into space and has just flown by Mars. As a keepsake of the spacecraft they channelled so much effort into, the Hera team also commissioned the building of a detailed LEGO model \u2013 as well as smaller variants that you can go ahead and build for yourself!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The team got in touch with Frans Snik, an astronomer at Leiden University in the Netherlands who has the hobby of designing detailed models of astronomical observatories such as the European Southern Observatory\u2019s Very Large Telescope and Extremely Large Telescope. He also previously branched out into recreating tiny versions of the space-based James Webb Space Telescope for kids to build at events.<\/p>\n \u201cFrans did us proud with a roughly 1:11 scale model of Hera, plus the twin CubeSats the spacecraft is carrying to the Dimorphos asteroid, using 4448 bricks in all,\u201d explains Hera mission documentalist Mark Brophy.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt was debuted in public during last October\u2019s ESA Open Day at ESTEC in the Netherlands, just in advance of Hera\u2019s actual launch.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut this is such a complex model that it would be hard and costly for enthusiasts to build their own. So we also had Frans design smaller LEGO replicas of the cartoon versions of Hera and its two CubeSats, as featured in our Incredible Adventures of the Hera mission series of animations.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Cartoonish constructions<\/b><\/p>\n This\u00a0multi-part animation series\u00a0recounts the adventures of the Hera asteroid detective plus its accompanying CubeSats \u2013 Milani the rock decoder and Juventas the radar visionary \u2013 on their journey through construction, testing and launch, and soon their visit to Mars and its enigmatic moon Deimos.<\/p>\n Frans made LEGO versions of the three cartoon spacecraft (including Hera\u2019s dinosaur mascot), plus the twin asteroids that they are on the way to visiting: the larger Didymos and the smaller Dimorphos, which in September 2022 had its orbit shifted when NASA\u2019s DART spacecraft impacted with it. These asteroids come complete with arms to wave hello to Hera!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cI had the amazing opportunity to see the actual Hera spacecraft a few times when it was located in the Test Centre at ESTEC, and I was very impressed by the number of technical capabilities within such a compact device,\u201d says Frans.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a nice challenge for me to add as much details as possible into the Hera LEGO model. I have also become a fan of the Hera cartoons, which contain even more little details \u2013 I have tried to incorporate those into the models as well.”<\/p>\n Want to build them? Download our assembly instructions\u00a0here, including a link to order the LEGO bricks needed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Scaled-down DIY spacecraft<\/b><\/p>\n There is another Hera model available for enthusiasts to build, a scaled-down version of the realistic spacecraft (while also including Hera\u2019s pet dinosaur) which was designed by Hera communication system engineer Paolo Concari in his spare time. After a hard day of working on the spacecraft\u2019s communication system Paolo would go home to resume work on his LEGO equivalent of Hera.<\/p>\n Paolo explains what inspired him to create the model: \u201cWhile working on the Hera mission, I came across a LEGO model of the spacecraft that someone had created and shared online. But because I know Hera by heart, I couldn\u2019t help but notice some inaccuracies, as well as key details missing \u2013 that\u2019s how I got the idea to create a more true-to-life version.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n For the seasoned engineer, used to bringing real space missions to life, this was the first time recreating one using LEGO. He designed the tiny Hera in a 3D modelling tool called STUDIO 2.0 \u2013 a program made specifically for LEGO models.<\/p>\n \u201cCreating the model was actually the easiest part \u2013 it was the instructions that gave me the most trouble,\u201d Paolo notes. \u201cThe whole process was a learning curve, from figuring out how to create the CAD model, to learning how to use Photoshop and bind the assembly instruction booklet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cWhen designing a model using the available LEGO bricks, you need to be extra creative. For example, if you look closely, you will see that the thrusters on the side of the model are actually tiny binoculars!\u201d<\/p>\n As with any space mission, LEGO Hera underwent rigorous testing: \u201cMy children offered to help and provided me with some very valuable feedback, like when they spotted a mistake in the instructions or found certain steps too complicated.\u201d<\/p>\n The resulting 98-piece model, roughly 280 times smaller than the real Hera, is not just a toy \u2013 the mission team has also used it to recreate in their hands the various manoeuvres the real spacecraft would be making.<\/p>\n Want to build it? Download the assembly instructions\u00a0here\u00a0and the list of bricks needed\u00a0here. As a finishing touch, add these\u00a0solar panel stickers\u00a0and\u00a0mission logo.<\/p>\n Note: these models are made for fun and sharing only, not for commercial use, with no involvement or endorsement from the LEGO Group.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n About Hera<\/b><\/p>\n Launched last October, Hera is ESA\u2019s first planetary defence mission, on its way to visit the first asteroid to have had its orbit altered by human action. By gathering close-up data about the Dimorphos asteroid, which was impacted by NASA\u2019s DART spacecraft in 2022, Hera will help turn asteroid deflection into a well understood and potentially repeatable technique.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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