I remember watching the first Shuttle launch way back in 1981. If you’d told me then that I’d be casually printing a small copy of the Shuttle on my own personal 3D printer 32 years later, I might have thought you were crazy. Or, at 11 years old, I probably would have have asked, “Why so long from now?”

It looks like B.Bum has just discovered NASA’s treasure trove of 3D Models. If you want to start with a dimensionally-accurate 3D model for the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity or the Skylab, start with these models and get cracking!

If you wondered where so many of the awesome NASA models on Thingiverse started from, look no further! But you might need to spend a couple of hours translating the files into a format your modeling tool prefers, and then cleaning up the models to make them easier to print at the scale you want to print them on your 3D printer — lots of very thin and very hollow objects!

Also, make sure to take a look at the Usage Guidelines before you share the work you create. The shapes are available for many uses, but make sure not to use a NASA insignia.

Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has thrilled us at Adafruit with its passion and dedication to making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed that our community integrating electronics projects into 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!

Have you take considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless EL Wire and LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects!

The Adafruit Learning System has dozens of great tools to get you well on your way to creating incredible works of engineering, interactive art, and design with your 3D printer! If you have a cool project you’ve made that joins the traditions of 3D printing and electronics, be sure to send it in to be featured here!