Space Shuttle Discovery NASA Puzzle 3D Wood UGEARS

Age: Our puzzles have a 14+ rating on the boxes. For this model, we recommend from 12 years old accompanied by an adult

The Space Shuttle Discovery was the third of NASA's five reusable orbiters. It made 39 takeoffs and landings between 1984 and 2011, the most flights of any spacecraft in history. Perhaps his greatest achievement was the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope ("HST") on April 25, 1990, which revolutionized astronomy and astrophysics, particularly our understanding of the age and expansion of the universe. With the characteristics of a rocket (for vertical launch) and a glider (for landing), space shuttles were the workhorses of the U.S. space program at the turn of the 21st century, and played a vital role in the construction and maintenance of the International Space Station.

Now you can build this iconic orbiter and imagine yourself participating in its iconic mission to continue the work of scientific exploration and discovery by launching the Hubble Telescope. NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery model Ugears is actually a remarkable three-in-one model: orbiter, support, and satellite. The shuttle is a 1:96 scale model of Discovery, with two cargo bays that open to reveal the HST model that features movable solar panels and an opening door. The shuttle's forward and aft cargo bays open independently to store or launch the telescope. To open the forward cargo compartment, simply turn the wheel near the cab in the direction of the arrow marked "Open". A similar wheel located on the tail of the shuttle is used to open and close the rear cargo hold. Place the telescope on the shuttle's robotic arm to deploy it and rotate the arm using a dial on the orbiter's belly.

The shuttle's support uses the principle of tensegrity (tensional integrity or floating compression), an elegant structural technique that allows the model to float above the support through thin fishing lines as if it were floating freely in space. A ratchet mechanism on the bracket allows the tension of the lines to be adjusted. You can change the tilt of the spaceship up or down by simply pulling on the tension lines, or adjust the roll of the spacecraft to the left or right by moving the bracket by hand or using the bracket's ratchet dial. Other functional elements of the shuttle model include movable ailerons on the orbiter's wings, a movable tail rudder, and retractable landing gear.

Your Discovery Shuttle comes with a plaque giving important information about Discovery. With permission from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the kit includes stickers with the orbiter's name, NASA's "worm" logo, and the U.S. flag to be placed on the wings and side of the orbiter to complete the authentic look.

The three-in-one model of NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery is rated "Advanced" for experienced builders and is sure to take pride of place on a shelf or table in your living room, bedroom, or office. Like all Ugears wooden models and 3D puzzles, Discovery and all its components can be assembled without glue and can be built without special tools by following the step-by-step illustrated instructions in 11 languages (English, Ukrainian, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Japanese, Chinese and Korean). Don't worry if you break a piece while building your 3D puzzle. All you have to do is inform our customer service, who will be happy to provide you with spare parts free of charge.

This smart and sophisticated model of a NASA space shuttle will delight anyone who dreams of far-flung travel, space exploration, or advances in scientific knowledge. NASA's three-in-one Space Shuttle Discovery, with the Hubble telescope and tensegrity stand, will make an ideal gift for friends and family who love aviation and spacecraft history, or for model building enthusiasts who want to add a real display piece to their collection. Go on a journey to the stars with Ugears!

To assemble yourself, without the use of glue.

Model size: 33.5 x 22.5 x 29 cm
Number of pieces: 315

Assembly: about 6 hours