NASA Mars Rover Perseverance press release
Posted by Huw,
LEGO has issued a press release about a set that was revealed by retailers weeks ago:
The LEGO Group has unveiled 42158 NASA Mars Perseverance Rover, a STEM space themed product designed to encourage children to learn more about engineering.
Just two years ago, Perseverance landed on Mars and started its epic journey to seek signs of ancient life and collect samples from the mysterious red planet. This new LEGO Technic model of the rover allows builders aged 10+ to understand the awesome feats of engineering that make this vehicle so adept to Martian exploration and learn about how the rover’s features and functions work.
The LEGO Technic model features 360° steering and a movable arm, plus fully articulated suspension that lets the rover travel across uneven surfaces on all 6 wheels. And just like its real-life counterpart, the LEGO Technic model is joined by a replica mission companion Ingenuity Helicopter.
“Working on this model has been both challenging and exciting” said Luke Cragin, Designer at the LEGO Group. “I’ve always felt passionate about space, and the design process let me explore my interest as I recreated the incredible engineering developed by the pioneering team at NASA. We hope the model’s features and functions will help introduce young space lovers to the world of engineering and encourage them to reach for the stars in the future.”
The augmented reality app called Technic AR will give fans a holistic experience both physically and digitally. They will be able to discover exciting, educational content getting to know the real-life vehicle and its mission on Mars. Through the app it’s also possible to pull an overview of the weather on Mars on demand or learn about the environment and the rover’s mission.
The LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance is available from June 1st, 2023, on www.LEGO.com and in LEGO stores, priced at £84.99 / €94.99 / $99.99 / 129.99 CAD.
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48 comments on this article
What a perfect use for Technic! Very refreshing.
Can't wait to add Power Functions and send it on 'missions'.
I'm a big fan of all things space-themed and I love to see a well-priced set from an interesting source. Looking forward to getting my hands on this one.
Be interesting to see the AR in action for this. Seems like a good implementation of AR.
This is pretty nice! Something we haven't seen from Technic before, and seems like a great use of the system. Don't really care about the AR bit, but we'll see. Price even seems fair, and considering Technic is regularly discounted I'll probably buy it.
@bananaworld said:
"Can't wait to add Power Functions and send it on 'missions'."
There was a version of a Mars rover for the Mindstorms 51515 set - I think possibly fan supplied. That was quite fun to drive around.
It will be interesting to see what this does for the original Curiosity Rover set - will it lower demand as it is a similar rover (but quite different style/build) or increase it as new fans become aware of it.
I'm really impressed they managed to fit 4-wheel steering into such a skeletal structure. It's totally unlike anything I've seen in technic before, unless you count 7471 obviously.
I don't care for the AR app, but I am still really looking forward to this set. The subject matter is great the mechanisms are interesting. A welcome change after the long line of interchangeable cars.
Will look half decent from a distance. May be my first Technic set I buy.
Looks stunning, definitely a day one purchase!
While its still basically another licensed car, it still feels like a much needed breath of fresh air for technic
LEGO said:
"...a holistic experience both physically and digitally."
Who writes....
Nevermind.
The internal mechanism for the two steering modes will be the most interesting part for me.
@WizardOfOss said:
"This is pretty nice! Something we haven't seen from Technic before, and seems like a great use of the system. Don't really care about the AR bit, but we'll see. Price even seems fair, and considering Technic is regularly discounted I'll probably buy it.
"
Same here.
What a refreshing change from all the pseudo-Technic supercars.
While it is again a licenced set, at least it is something new and interesting with quite a bit of play potential, and a price that seems fairer than what is typical nowadays.
I have a friend who drives Percy as part of her day job, I will be buying her a copy of this on launch day!
Looks good. I hope the physical instructions also have interesting educational stuff as well as the app.
@Huw really missed the opportunity for a launch gag in the article title, though :-)
Amazing set! I am excited to build it!
Finally something that isn't your typical Technic car/truck/tractor/helicopter. We haven't really seen anything like this since 7471 Mars Exploration Rover in 2003!
This set would go pretty well together with 42081.
Not a Technic person, but this looks really good. I kind of want it.
Nice set and a fair and realistic price
While this is very cool, I would love for LEGO to one day produce models of Spirit and Opportunity. The true embodiments of "the little engine that could." They caused me to personify them to a degree no other rover has. They both launched in 2003, had mission goals of just 92 Earth days... and Spirit lasted until nearly halfway through 2011, and Opportunity pushed on for 15 years.
If humanity ever colonizes Mars to any degree, I want us to track down the little guys and build memorials to them.
@Spritetoggle said:
"While this is very cool, I would love for LEGO to one day produce models of Spirit and Opportunity."
7471: Mars Exploration Rover (MER) is based on Spirit (MER-A) and Opportunity (MER-B), since they are identical.
A very interesting Technic set. Even if it is licensed.
I love this model! Day 1 purchase for me! But I really think 7471 has better/more features, and yet that was a technic/system hybrid. I think that’s the direction this should’ve gone as well. The 2003 Rover also had a telescoping arm, four wheel steering, and I think it also had a suspension system? I’ll have to pull mine out of storage to double check, but most of all it had the automatic solar panels that folded out using the now retired soft plunger spring. I understand the Perseverance doesn’t use enormous solar panels like spirit/opportunity, but I still think there could’ve been more done or more details applied, especially if it wasn’t a technic set. I wish Lego would be more open to hybrids like they did in the past.
Is there a reason for not having the usual Brickset survey on buying intentions at the end of the press release?
@tedgarb said:
"I have a friend who drives Percy as part of her day job, I will be buying her a copy of this on launch day!"
WOAH! That's so cool!
If I'm being 100% honest, my question isn't a criticism of the set, but rather the rover itself. The designs for both Perseverance and Curiosity are mainly the same, except for the wheels and the extended arm. So I guess why is this marketed as Perseverance and not Curiosity, other than the fact that Curiosity already has its own set?
@pecadorl said:
"A very interesting Technic set. Even if it is licensed."
I don't actually see licensing as a bad thing overall. We've had excellent licensed sets in the Technic theme in the past.
What does bother me is the phasing out of B-models, though I'd think it'd be pretty difficult to do an alternate for this set. Maybe some kind of terraforming vehicle?
Glad to see this get so many compliments because I love NASA and space themed sets but oddly enough it's not grabbing me. I think it looks great, the functions look fun, and I agree that it really suits the Technic theme well, probably better than nearly all sets in recent memory. But it just can't get over the hump on this one. Price is great. I guess I just really want a series of brick-built rovers at a smaller scale...which will probably never happen. Oh well. I'm glad you all love it and will buy it. Keep the NASA sets coming!
Very sweet. It’s been a while since I made a significant Technic purchase; this might have to be my next.
An awesome set, but not for me.
@Jesse_S_T said:
"I love this model! Day 1 purchase for me! But I really think 7471 has better/more features, and yet that was a technic/system hybrid. I think that’s the direction this should’ve gone as well. The 2003 Rover also had a telescoping arm, four wheel steering, and I think it also had a suspension system? (...)"
@TLG said, regarding 42158:
"The LEGO Technic model features 360° steering and a movable arm, plus fully articulated suspension."
You can lead a horse to water...
Is this the return of the Flex system?
@joshnike said:
" @tedgarb said:
"I have a friend who drives Percy as part of her day job, I will be buying her a copy of this on launch day!"
WOAH! That's so cool!
If I'm being 100% honest, my question isn't a criticism of the set, but rather the rover itself. The designs for both Perseverance and Curiosity are mainly the same, except for the wheels and the extended arm. So I guess why is this marketed as Perseverance and not Curiosity, other than the fact that Curiosity already has its own set? "
Perseverance is newer, has the helicopter, and has a much larger tool package on the end of the arm.
@Huw
Available August 1 in the United States and Canada
I am so exited by this. I already bought a MOC from Rebrickable, but this is even cooler due to all the features. I have been following Percy since it was called MARS 2020 because my daughter and son in law are both working on the mission.
A perfect set for my new office, I work in aerospace.
Basicly a Technic "Rock Raiders / Power Miners" set, since part of the Perseverance mission literally is to store rock samples inside it until a later possible retrieval mission.
@bananaworld said:
"You can lead a horse to water..."
I’m.. not very sure what point you’re making. I was pointing out how the 2003 rover 7471 has the same amount, if not more, features than 42158 . I read the press release and specifically pointed out the same features to emphasis how this technic didn’t accomplish much more than a 20 year old rover. The 2023 model could’ve had more detail or features as opposed to all technic.
I have fond memories of 7471, so this will be a must have. Also, I think the name Perseverance somehow fits in Paul McCartney's Hope of Deliverance song.
Never bought a Technic set, but this may change that. Looks great.
Ok, I almost never say this…. But, day one purchase. What a great set and I can finally make up for missing the Ideas set from several years ago.
@Huw, why no "Will you be buying this set?" poll? I know what my answer would be ;)
@gonesnakee said:
"What No Howard Wolowitz Minifigure!?!?
Epic Fail! LOL
Nuff Said"
But then it would have to come with a minifig packet of Fruit Loops too.
;-)
I work for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where the Perseverance (and all of the other rovers were built) rover was built and saw it in the assembly area. I wish I can share photos of the actual rover, but I will say, the Lego model does an excellent job of re-creating it relative to the actual vehicle. Great job Lego!
The article states a 6/1/23 release but the lego site shows 8/1/23 now. Was really hoping for a 6/1 release.
@chrisdinky said:
"The article states a 6/1/23 release but the lego site shows 8/1/23 now. Was really hoping for a 6/1 release."
It's August in the US, June elsewhere. Often the case for some reason.
@iwybs said:
" @joshnike said:
" @tedgarb said:
"I have a friend who drives Percy as part of her day job, I will be buying her a copy of this on launch day!"
WOAH! That's so cool!
If I'm being 100% honest, my question isn't a criticism of the set, but rather the rover itself. The designs for both Perseverance and Curiosity are mainly the same, except for the wheels and the extended arm. So I guess why is this marketed as Perseverance and not Curiosity, other than the fact that Curiosity already has its own set? "
Perseverance is newer, has the helicopter, and has a much larger tool package on the end of the arm."
I know you didn't ask me, But I'm just trying to get up in the chat. If I had to guess I would say it's because it's their current rover and NASA would Want the name of their current mission even though curiosity is still going till this day In some capacity, (I think) but they would want the current one on The Box and in the public's eye, also it has the little helicopter curiosity didn't have a helicopter. Which just The Science Of that Helicopter is incredible.
Apparently It's super hard to fly something through The Martian atmosphere so the propellers have to be huge and fast for even just a tiny object to fly It's amazing.
Oh yeah I guess it's mostly public relations Why would they do a license deal with the largest toy manufacturer on Earth and say yeah put the Name Of our old 2012 mission on there.
They just want the newest mission in the spotlight.
Technic W
Next to the JD Skidder, this is the second best Technic set this year. The Rover is the perfect example of what the theme should include more often. Not just licensed cars all the time.
@chrisdinky said:
"I work for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where the Perseverance (and all of the other rovers were built) rover was built and saw it in the assembly area. I wish I can share photos of the actual rover, but I will say, the Lego model does an excellent job of re-creating it relative to the actual vehicle. Great job Lego!
The article states a 6/1/23 release but the lego site shows 8/1/23 now. Was really hoping for a 6/1 release."
I'm interning at JPL now - maybe we could do lunch sometime.