Lego Releases NASA Mars Curiosity Rover as New Toy Model (Video)

NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover is becoming toy-sized. Lego has announced that it will make an official set celebrating the rover after more than 10,000 eager fans backed the design of the vehicle.

Curiosity has received quite a bit of press lately as it's roamed across the surface of Mars. The rover has managed to drill into rocks, find signs of the Red Planet's watery past and has even discovered the potential for past life. With the possibility of sending people to the surface of Mars, it's not surprising that the rover has captured the attention and imaginations of people around the world.

When the Danish toy giant invited fans to submit designs for new Lego sets via its CuuSoo website in 2010, it was almost inevitable that the Mars rover would show up at some point. Anyone can submit an idea, but it's only with 10,000 supporters that a design is officially put up for review by the Lego board. With Curiosity's historical significance, though, it's not surprising that it received enough backers.

"We learned that this produce has niche appeal and strong demand from the space and education communities," said Tim Courtney from Lego in a blog post, according to Space.com. "The product aligns well with the Lego Group's mission to 'inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow,' including those who will build our future in outer space."

Actually getting to this point, though, wasn't easy. The project gained popularity in late summer 2012 when Curiosity approached and landed on Mars. The model designer, Lego Cuusoo user Perijove, is actually a mechanical engineer who worked on the rover at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. After gaining enough supporters, the project was put before a "Lego Jury." This jury researchers the feasibility of the new project and develops the final model, which can take several months, according to Lego.

Currently, the Lego rover is still in development, which means that exact pricing and availability is still to be determined. Yet it's likely that we'll soon see Curiosity on toy shelves across the country.

Want to learn more about the new toy? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube and Lego.