7

I'll accept the largest defensible number.

below: "LEGO Building At KSC". Click image for full size - go ahead! From here.

enter image description here

Nathan Tuggy
  • 4,566
  • 5
  • 34
  • 44
uhoh
  • 148,791
  • 53
  • 476
  • 1,473
  • Also answered on the LEGO Stackexchange: https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/310/how-many-minifigs-have-actually-flown-in-space – Raidri Jul 12 '17 at 12:41
  • @Raidri well it's a different but related question, and I'm surprised and happy to learn about another SE site with space-related questions! – uhoh Jul 12 '17 at 13:35

1 Answers1

23

Three Bodies

  1. Earth: Legos have made their way to the space station multiple times, and it doesn't appear as though they have left the station.
  2. Jupiter: Lego figures were sent aboard the Juno spacecraft, and are currently orbiting Jupiter.
  3. Sun: All legos in existence are currently orbiting the Sun, as both the Earth and Jupiter do :)

I do not believe they have ever orbited the moon, and I can't see any information for them being anywhere else in the solar system. This is my source.

Arthur Dent
  • 1,135
  • 11
  • 14
  • 1
    Ah, gotta make 'em harder! Sounds pretty good. Nice video here (skip the beginning though): http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/go-for-launch/os-nasa-s-juno-spacecraft-buzzing-jupiter-s-great-red-spot-20170711-story.html – uhoh Jul 11 '17 at 15:24
  • 1
    If the Sun counts, let's go with Saggitarius *, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. – jvriesem Jul 11 '17 at 16:59
  • 33
    @jvriesem That is not a solar system body. We hope. – Yakk Jul 11 '17 at 17:18
  • 5
    Whoops! That'll teach me to read closely! :-) – jvriesem Jul 11 '17 at 19:25
  • I am not convinced that the figures sent on Juno are lego figures; considering that they are made from aluminium. – Taemyr Jul 12 '17 at 10:45
  • @Taemyr who made them out of aluminum? – uhoh Jul 12 '17 at 12:23
  • You could add the Moon. The Moon and Earth (and all the Lego in existence except for what's on Juno) orbit a common point, the barycentre of the Earth-Moon system. You can just as well say the the Earth orbits the Moon as that the Moon orbits the Earth. – Mike Scott Jul 12 '17 at 13:16
  • @uhoh I could be wrong but I Suspect that they where made by NASA. I doubt LEGO would get the manufacturing capability to work with aluminium for a one off event. – Taemyr Jul 12 '17 at 13:35
  • @Taemyr I'd doubt even more that NASA would spend taxpayer dollars making LEGO figures! I'm pretty sure they were either mady by LEGO directly or LEGO subcontracted for it, but that's a guess. They both have access to cash but the private company would have much more flexibility for discretionary funds. Let's find out the facts! – uhoh Jul 12 '17 at 13:42
  • @MikeScott I was considering putting that in, but I figured that doesn't really count as "orbit around". The barycentre is skewed too far towards the Earth, but you might be able to convince uhoh. – Arthur Dent Jul 12 '17 at 14:36
  • 3
    @MikeScott Since the Earth-Moon barycenter is well inside the Earth, it would be difficult to support the argument they're orbiting the Moon. See also this answer re. barycenter orbits – FKEinternet Jul 12 '17 at 16:21