LEGO has teamed up with the European Space Agency (ESA) to create several “space bricks” made from a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite.

The particular meteorite was discovered in north-west Africa in 2000 and is a “brecciated stone” that contains large metal grains, chondrules and other stone meteorite elements.

By mixing meteorite dust with polylactide and a bit of “regolith simulant”, the team was able to 3D-print bricks that mimic and behave just like LEGO bricks.

The idea behind the initiative is to test how material on the surface of the Moon, known as the lunar regolith, could be used as a future building material.

“No-one has ever built a structure on the Moon, so we have to work out not only how we build them but what we build them out of, as we can’t take any materials with us,” notes ESA science officer Aidan Cowley, adding that while the bricks are a “little rougher” than usual, the results are “amazing”.

Fifteen bricks will go on display at the LEGO House in Billund, Denmark, as well as at selected LEGO stores including Leicester Square in the UK and 5th Avenue in New York.

The meteorite bricks apparently click and snap together just like normal LEGO bricks but they unfortunately only come in one colour – space grey.