The Artemis II lunar mission has sent sales of space-related toys soaring, retailers in Britain have reported.
Argos said it had experienced a spike in demand for space-themed toys, including Lego, following the first manned Moon mission in more than 50 years, as customers sought to recreate the historic journey at home.
Sales of the Lego Technic Nasa Artemis Space Launch System Rocket were up 320% week-on-week at Argos.
The retailer said the sales figures pointed to a renewed national curiosity with space and a growing appetite for Nasa-inspired builds.
The trend has also shown up in searches, with Argos.co.uk data showing surging interest across space-related terms including: “lego artemis”, up 1050%; “lego rocket”, up 390%: “artemis”, up 1300%; and “space rocket”, up 500%.
During the Artemis II orbit, online communities such as r/AFOL (Adult Fans of Lego) shared ideas for space-themed builds inspired by the mission such as spaceships and gravity exploration vessels.
Argos said the mission also appeared to be fuelling curiosity in Stem careers, with Google Trends data showing a 600% rise in “how to become an astronaut” and a 400% increase in “astronaut salary” over the past month.
Searches for “female astronaut” were up by 130% month-on-month.
The Entertainer toy chain also reported “massive” demand for space-related toys.
It reported stocks of the Lego Artemis ship had sold out, but would be available online and in stores again “soon”.
Other toys in high demand during the mission included the Clementoni Spa Nasa Float Space Station, with sales tripling compared to normal weeks, while other Lego space sets and the Early learning Centre Lift Off Rocket for younger space lovers had also sold well.
Jordan Wingrave, buyer at The Entertainer, said: “We have seen massive demand for Artemis and space-related toys in general, driven by the recent and successful space mission.
“The Lego Technic Nasa Artemis Space Launch System Rocket construction set saw significant sales, which really took off when the rocket did.
“Strong sales continued during the mission, increasing by 12 times by the end of the mission – up by 1200% compared to the first week of sales.”
Smyths Toys said it had also seen a “significant” increase in sales of the toys.
Sinead Byrne, European marketing director at Smyths Toys Superstores, said: “Space-themed toys combine fun with learning, helping children develop problem-solving skills, creativity, and an early interest in Stem subjects, all through imaginative play.
“It’s exciting to see how the Artemis programme, along with movies like Project Hail Mary, is sparking children’s interest in space.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in sales of the Lego Technic Nasa Artemis Space Launch System Rocket set in toys since launch and look forward to seeing children continue to engage with these mediums and similar products.” – dpa
