posted 12-01-2011 02:30 PM               

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.

posted 12-01-2011 03:31 PM               

For instance were they handed 3D drawings, or did they build based on a representative from the flight centers/JPL sitting down and talking through the attributes NASA wanted represented.

And conversely, with respect to models supporting concept evaluation (before the first metal was even cut), how much impact did the model makers and their products hold in influencing subsequent design decisions?