Gallery: NASA's Most Adorable Model Spaceships
01apollo-lunar-lander-1963
The list of NASA's accomplishments is long and impressive, which is probably why one of its most remarkable feats is so often overlooked: the extreme cuteness of its scale models. From lunar landers and rovers to satellites space stations, NASA's engineers built tiny replicas and concept representations that will melt your heart. Here are some of our favorites. __Above:__ Apollo Lunar Lander 1963 ------------------------ The design for the Apollo lunar excursion module went through several stages, some cuter than others. The image above shows the lander at peak cuteness. Even without the miniature astronaut, fake moon rock and starry sky, this scale model would elicit motherly coos from space geeks. This concept was known as a "bug."
02apollo-lunar-lander-1964
Apollo Lunar Lander 1964 ------------------------ By 1964 the design of the lunar excursion module had entered another phase of adorability. This model almost looks like it has eyes and ears and is afraid of the surface of the moon. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/11/apollo-lunar-module-1964.jpg)
03mercury-capsule
Mercury Capsule --------------- The Mercury capsule design above, called "shape B," was fairly close to the final design of the real capsule. This loveable little 1958 model shows how the astronaut would be positioned inside, including the [individually fitted couch](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/08/astronautbutts/). Below is a model of "shape A." [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/11/mercury-capsule-shape-a-1958.jpg)
04space-station-concept
Space Station Concept --------------------- Early concepts for a space station also resulted in super-cute models. The one shown above from 1963 is probably our favorite, but the one below from 1966 has a tiny astronaut doll in it. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/11/space-station-early-concept-1966.jpg)
05viking-lander
Viking Lander ------------- This little model of a Viking lander, shown here at NASA's Langley Research Center in 1973, is almost as cute as the engineer pretending to tend to it as he poses for the photo.
06nuclear-powered-spacecraft
Nuclear-Powered Spacecraft -------------------------- This 1959 model of a piloted nuclear-powered spacecraft looks like a gumball machine or some kind of game. Posing it hovering above a fake extraterrestrial surface with Earth in the background seems almost calculated specifically to enhance the ship's cuteness. The model below from 1964 only has an earnest-looking NASA employee to help it out, and is consequently not as cute. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/11/nuclear-rocket-1964-wide.jpg)
07lunar-rover
Lunar Rover ----------- Lunar rovers are almost always adorable, but the one above from 1975 has seats that look like the lawn chairs of the time and even has a remote control. But where are the photos of scientists steering it over a mini moon surface with astronaut dolls at the controls? There's no way that didn't happen. The model below from 1990 looks like part of a Lego set, and it has dolls and a moonscape (some of which was made from real lunar surface images) to make it more precious. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/11/lunar-rover-1990.jpg)
08jupiter-rocket
Jupiter Rocket -------------- This 1959 model of the Jupiter vehicle might not be the cutest, but it has a monkey on it, so I couldn't resist including it. The squirrel monkey, named Baker, would ride a real Jupiter rocket into space along with a rhesus macaque named Able to be the first astromonkeys to return safely to Earth. Sadly, Able died from a reaction to surgical anesthesia a few days later. But Baker lived for another 25 years.
09mars-expedition-vehicle
Mars Expedition Vehicle ----------------------- This 1961 image from the NASA archive is labeled simply "electric space vehicle model for 8 man mars expedition." The photographer really went all out on this one, with the model of Earth in the foreground and the bow-tied man staring off into space, probably at Mars.
10orbiting-solar-observatory
Orbiting Solar Observatory -------------------------- One of NASA's top scientists, Nancy Roman, poses in 1962 with a little model of the Orbiting Solar Observatory. Roman looks like your favorite science teacher combined with your doting grandmother, and is definitely cuter than the model. Roman had her hand in many important satellite projects, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the Cosmic Background Explorer.
11gemini-capsule
Gemini Capsule -------------- This 1963 image shows a model of the Gemini capsule attached to a [parawing](http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/movie/Paresev/index.html), which was a self-inflating flexible airfoil NASA considered using to help land the capsule before dropping it in favor of a parachute in 1964. Just picture this little guy gliding down to land in your swimming pool.
12biosatellite
Biosatellite ------------ NASA's Biosatellite program sent three capsules into orbit with various plants and organisms to study the effects of space on living things. This model from around 1968 is of the third launch, which put a pig-tailed monkey named Bonnie into orbit. The model monkey in the image above looks a lot happier than Bonnie probably was -- the month-long mission was shortened to nine days when Bonnie's health started to suffer.
13skylab
Skylab ------ This 1967 model of the Skylab space station isn't that cute until you notice the tiny astronauts inside the orbital workshop. I might have overlooked them if it wasn't for the one standing next to the model for scale.
14apollo-lunar-lander-1961
Apollo Lunar Lander 1961 ------------------------ Just like the wooden toys your parents probably played with, the early lunar excursion model shown above is adorably simplistic. In some ways it might even be cuter than the more advanced models at the beginning of this gallery. The early models of a 1961 lunar vehicle and a 1962 Apollo re-entry vehicle below are also lovably simple. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/11/apollo-early-lander-1961.jpg) [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/11/apollo-reentry-vehicle-1962.jpg)
