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Airfix has long been known for modelling the machines that push boundaries – from iconic aircraft and spacecraft to engineering achievements that have shaped history. Now, for the first time, an Airfix kit has taken that ambition a step further, physically travelling to the edge of space.
With NASA currently preparing to launch the next Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis rocket on 22 March, Airfix marked the moment by sending a built Artemis model kit on its own high-altitude journey. The model was launched using a specialist balloon, travelling more than 250 miles and reaching an altitude of 110,000 feet – placing it firmly in near-space conditions. The launch even resulted in a World Record, for the Highest Altitude Reached by a Scale Model Rocket Aboard a High-Altitude Balloon.
The project celebrates both the Artemis programme and Airfix’s long-standing connection with space exploration. For decades, Airfix kits have allowed generations of modellers to recreate historic missions at home, from early rockets to the Space Shuttle. The Artemis programme, which aims to return humans to the Moon and pave the way for future missions to Mars, represents the next chapter in that story.
The model’s ascent was carefully tracked throughout its journey, capturing striking imagery of the Earth’s curvature against the darkness of space – a perspective usually reserved for astronauts and spacecraft. After reaching peak altitude, the model safely returned to Earth, completing its mission.
The launch highlights the enduring appeal of space modelling and the way Airfix continues to connect past, present and future achievements. Many will remember building their first Airfix kit as a child, and projects like this show how those same models still inspire curiosity, learning and a sense of wonder today.
As global attention turns to the upcoming Artemis launch, Airfix’s own mission to the edge of space serves as a fitting tribute to the engineers, scientists and explorers – real and miniature – who continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
