NASA's Mars Curiosity rover will soon roll into homes everywhere, thanks to LEGO.

LEGO and NASA seem to be a match made in heaven--or space-- even down to the similar-sounding four-letter acronym names.

And now, the next model to roll off LEGO's CUUSOO production line will be a fan-created toy replica of NASA's Curiosity Rover. The Denmark- based LEGO group chose the model, designed by fan Perijove, and announced it will begin production soon.

NASA has approved the Mars Curiosity rover replica, and LEGO said, "The product aligns well with the LEGO Group's mission to 'inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow,' including those who will build our future in outer space."

CUUSOO, which means "imagination" or "wish" in Japanese, is an innovative product line based on a website that allows fans to upload and vote on what they would like to see LEGO create. The designer selected, Stephen Pakbaz, who went by the moniker Perijove, is a  mechanical engineer who worked on the real-life rover at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

'My hope was to have a set produced while the real rover was still active on Mars, so that the model could help kids learn about the real rover's discoveries as they occurred," Stephen Pakbaz said.  

The Curiosity Rover just finished six months of exploration in one area, and will shift to "drive" mode to go up Mount Sharp, which will take about a year.

That may be just enough time for LEGO to produce and roll out the Curiosity set.

Pakbaz said that the Curiosity's suspension system uses an "offset differential mechanism," making more rugged play possible. He also designed a Descent Stage and a Sky Crane Stand that may be included in a possible expansion LEGO Curiosity set.

"We learned that this product has niche appeal and strong demand from the space and education communities," said LEGO's Tim Courtney.

Pricing and release date for the NASA Curiosity Rover LEGO set remain to be seen.