Orbiting Solar Observatory

SKU: NBC_199

The Orbiting Solar Observatory nanoblock kit builds a compact model of a solar-observing spacecraft, complete with translucent blue solar panels and a small instrument body. NASA’s real Orbiting Solar Observatory program launched a series of satellites from the 1960s through the 1970s to study the Sun from above Earth’s atmosphere, where ultraviolet and X-ray light could be measured more clearly. These missions helped scientists better understand solar flares, solar radiation, and how the Sun affects near-Earth space. The finished model captures the distinctive satellite silhouette in a simple display-friendly form.