They have taken them to space (for real) and advised on their futuristic Mars vehicles. Now the European Space Agency (ESA) is partnering again with Playmobil to explore the moon.
Released earlier this year but now widely available in stores across Europe and in the United States, the Playmobil Starter Pack Space Mission is the latest set to come from the collaboration between the German toy company and the agency. The $22.99 (€19,99 or £19.99) pack includes 57 pieces.
“This partnership ensures that the curiosity and wonder of space continue to spark young imaginations — nurturing a new generation ready to explore, innovate and shape the Europe of tomorrow,” said Nadia Lüders, ESA’s partnership and brand licensing officer, in a statement. “[It also] takes on special significance this year, as we celebrate ESA’s 50th anniversary.”
Recommended for children ages 4 through 10, the Starter Pack Space Mission comes with an astronaut figure in a modern lunar spacesuit, a rover with two lights, antenna, solar panel, satellite dish, rock samples and other accessories.
“The astronaut discovered unusual soil samples during a tour with the lunar vehicle. The samples now have to be analyzed very quickly in the mobile station and the results transmitted via satellite. What will the results be?” Playmobil’s description reads.
The astronaut’s spacesuit and the sample box mounted to the front of the rover display the official ESA logo. The 9.76 by 7.36 by 2.84-inch (24.8 by 18.7 by 7.2 centimeters) product box is also branded for the space agency.
“The gripper at the station allows for analyzing soil samples and conducting exciting experiments with the included tools. The trike provides thrilling rides across the moon, with space to transport samples for further study,” the product description reads. “With details like an examination table, solar panels and a large display, every space adventure comes alive and captivates young explorers.”
The set-up and scenario are not too far from reality. Through its “Moonlight” program, ESA is actively working to enable services like satellite navigation, video conferencing and file sharing on the moon, so they work as seamlessly there as they do on Earth.
The lunar hardware is also loosely based on the equipment being developed and tested in the recently inaugurated LUNA facility located near ESA’s Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. A collaboration between ESA and DLR, the LUNA facility hosts a realistic training environment that replicates the moon’s surface.
ESA is also a partner in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to land the next Americans and the first international astronauts at the lunar south pole, where they can seek our water ice in permanently shadowed craters while learning from the experience to prepare for advanced journeys on to Mars.
Playmobil has been inspiring children and adults alike since 1974, one year before ESA was founded. Previous ESA co-branded products have included a 2021 Mars Expedition play set and two Playmobil figures that were made in Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano’s likeness that were flown to the International Space Station. In 2022, Playmobil also produced a duopack featuring “ROBert” the robot and an ESA astronaut figure.
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