Space 1986

Space 1986, Part 1Space 1986, Part 2Space 1986, Part 3

New Parts

New Parts 1986

  • Bar 1 x 6 with Studs Open
  • Cockpit Space Nose
  • Minifig, Utensil Control Panel
  • Tail 4 x 1 x 3
  • Window 4 x 4 x 6 Outward Sloping


 

Unreleased (1526)


Features: Jointed vehicle with trailer carrying two satellites/drones, piloted by a single yellow astronaut.

Thoughts: Pity this wasn’t released. It would have made a really neat set. I like the design of the little drones. Lots of new parts on display here: the space nose in blue with stripes up front. The new console part in blue as controls and four of them in gray on the drones.



 

Scooter (1557)


Features: Small flying wedge with a moveable nose cone and a red astronaut.

Thoughts: This was the freebie part of a two set pack.



 

Mobile Command Trailer (1558)


Features: Small jointed vehicle carrying two astronauts in jet packs. The astronauts carry spare air tanks, a wrench, and a walker-talkie.

Thoughts: Together with Scooter (1557), this formed a two set value pack. The Unreleased set (1526), was probably the prototype for this set. It’s too bad they didn’t choose 1526 as it seems to be the better set. Still, jet packs are always fun.


Four of the new minifig control console parts in light gray are used to create an angled railing on the trailer.

 

Lunar Scout (1580)


Features: Small enclosed six-wheeler with storage containers, a deployable computer station in the rear, blue astronaut, and four accessories.

Thoughts: This is another mobile lab type vehicle, which means I’m pre-disposed to like it! Lots of fun and cool parts in a small set. The 4-stud wide gray slope with classic space logo only ever appeared in one other set: 1980’s Beta I Command Base (6970).



 

Sonic Robot (6750)


Features: Bulky robot designed around the battery box with two deployable hover chairs. Red and blue astronauts. One light and a sound brick that emits two space sounds.

Thoughts: 9V lights & sounds! I find it curious that the robot comes with two sets of hands: grabber jaws or shovel scoops. The hover chairs are cute.



 

XT Starship (6780)

6780: XT Starship
Features: Medium-sized ship with lights & sounds. Modular design with a small scooter for quick getaways. One yellow astronaut.

Thoughts: Pretty sleek looking spaceship with plenty  of thrusters and firepower. Four lights and two space sounds.

6780: XT Starship6780: XT Starship

 

Sonar Transmitting Cruiser (6783)

6783: Sonar Transmitting Cruiser
Features: Largest Light & Sound ship. Two deployable bases, detachable rocket booster, rover, robot and two astronauts.

Thoughts: Clever disguising of the battery box in the middle segment. It powered four lights and a sound brick. I like how the rocket booster can be attached directly to the cockpit.

6783: Sonar Transmitting Cruiser6783: Sonar Transmitting Cruiser

 

Space Probe (6802)

6802: Space Probe
Features: Minimal mobile rocket launcher with a brick-built bot.

Thoughts: This is the mobile rocket launcher archetype taken to its smallest extreme.

 

Starfire I (6820)

6820: Starfire I
Features: Small rocket sled with blue astronaut and a bazooka/video camera for an accessory.

Thoughts: The white space nose piece with the red and silver V pattern was unique to this set. Two of the new bar 1 x 6 pieces in black help form the helicopter-style skids.

6820: Starfire I

 

Cosmic Charger (6845)

6845: Cosmic Charger
Features: Blue space plane with fold-down wings and a white astronaut.

Thoughts: Contrasting color scheme to Starfire I (6820).

6845: Cosmic Charger6845: Cosmic Charger

 

Moon Rover (6874)

6874: Moon Rover
Features: Jointed ground vehicle that launches a small flyer from its trailer. Piloted by yellow and red astronauts.

Thoughts: Another variant of a mobile spaceship launcher. Bonus points for the cute mini scooter.

6874: Moon Rover6874: Moon Rover

 

Modular Space Transport (6892)

6892: Modular Space Transport
Features: Modular ground vehicle with deployable cockpit and rear lab.

Thoughts: With such low clearance, suitable for paved planets only. I’m not a huge fan of this set because I feel like they did the same thing better in Mobile Recovery Vehicle (6926).

6892: Modular Space Transport6892: Modular Space Transport6892: Modular Space Transport

 

Mobile Recovery Vehicle (6926)

6926: Mobile Recovery Vehicle
Features: Another modular ground vehicle with detachable cockpit and rear lab, but this time the frame is a stand-alone car. Comes with two yellow astronauts.

Thoughts: A much better set than Modular Space Transport (6892).

6926: Mobile Recovery Vehicle6926: Mobile Recovery Vehicle6926: Mobile Recovery Vehicle

 

Alien Moon Stalker (6940)

6940: Alien Moon Stalker
Features: Rocket-launching elephant-like walker with detachable fore and aft vehicles piloted by red and blue astronauts.

Thoughts: Pretty rad. Alien Moon Stalker is like the Mega EX evolved form of 1980’s Mobile Lab (6901).

6940: Alien Moon Stalker6940: Alien Moon Stalker6940: Alien Moon StalkerAlien Moon Stalker vs Mobile Lab

 

Cosmic Fleet Voyager (6985)

6985: Cosmic Fleet Voyager
Features: Large spaceship with detachable rear base, rover with tools, and four astronauts.

Thoughts: Third and final flagship of Classic Space. A bit blocky, but the ship is fully-enclosed and astronauts can stand upright in both front and rear.

6985: Cosmic Fleet Voyager6985: Cosmic Fleet Voyager6985: Cosmic Fleet Voyager

Wrap-Up

Fifteen sets! That’s the biggest year yet (again) in terms of number of sets. 1986 saw the introduction of the 9V Electric Light & Sound system, but future sets will do something more interesting with that power (namely drive a motor). My favorites were the Unreleased, Lunar Scout, Mobile Recovery Vehicle, Alien Moon Stalker, and Cosmic Fleet Voyager. Some of the other sets were fairly forgettable (Mobile Command Center, Modular Space Transport).

Next stop: Space 1987 where things are about to change!

Space 1985

Space 1985 - Part 1Space 1985 - Part 2

New Parts

New Parts 1985

  • Bar 1 x 3 with Clip and Stud Receptacle (Robot Arm)
  • Brick, Modified 1 x 2 x 2/3 with Studs on Sides
  • Dish 2 x 2 Inverted (Radar)
  • Hose, Flexible 8.5L with Tabless Ends
  • Lever Small Base with Lever
  • Panel 4 x 4 x 6 Corner Convex Ribbed


 

Unnamed (1968)

1968: Unnamed
Features: Spaceship with detachable rear module that carries a brick-built robot and a small rover.

Thoughts: Holy hoses! Quirky modular spaceship goes all in with the new hose part. Also features the new ribbed corner panels and small radar dishes. The new robot arm pieces are used to make a small robot.

1968: Unnamed1968: Unnamed

 

Astro Dasher (6805)

6805: Astro Dasher
Features: Small flyer with blue astronaut.

Thoughts: Big cannon in front for such a small ship. Packs in five space wings into a compact build.

6805: Astro Dasher6805: Astro Dasher

 

Surface Hopper (6806)

6806: Surface Hopper
Features: Red astronaut in a hover chair.

Thoughts: Thrusters galore! I ❤️ these tiny sets.

6806: Surface Hopper

 

Space Sledge with Astronaut and Robot (6807)

6807: Space Sledge with Astronaut and Robot
Features: Another astronaut with hover chair – this time in yellow with a small robot companion.

Thoughts: Simple and fun.

6807: Space Sledge with Astronaut and Robot

 

Cosmic Comet (6825)

6825: Cosmic Comet
Features: Small blue flyer decorated with transparent yellow hoses. Comes with a white astronaut.

Thoughts: I like the reverse swept wings.

6825: Cosmic Comet

 

Crater Crawler (6826)

6826: Crater Crawler
Features: Lunar rover with detachable hover chair for quick getaways. Comes with a yellow astronaut.

Thoughts: I love the hover chair escape pod!

6826: Crater Crawler6826: Crater Crawler

 

Space Dozer (6847)

6847: Space Dozer
Features: Gray construction vehicle with a yellow astronaut. Outfitted with two computer consoles, twin hoses, and a large scanner/weapon.

Thoughts: Clever use of hinged windscreen canopy as the plow. Rocket-propelled because Space! Also lasers.

6847: Space Dozer


 

Inter-Planetary Shuttle (6848)

6848: Inter-Planetary Shuttle
Features: Small gray spaceship with a red astronaut, storage compartments in back, and reverse swept wings.

Thoughts: Looks more like a hovercraft to me.

6848: Inter-Planetary Shuttle

 

Xenon X-Craft (6872)

6872: Xenon X-Craft
Features: Small blue spaceship has reverse swept wings paired with adjustable canards. Includes a yellow astronaut and a small robot.

Thoughts: I like the color scheme. There’s no place to stow the robot.

6872: Xenon X-Craft

 

Walking Astro Grappler (6882)

6882: Walking Astro Grappler
Features: Bizarre walker (technically a shuffler) comes with a single black astronaut.

Thoughts: 💙  the beak-like standup cockpit and articulated grabber arm.

6882: Walking Astro Grappler

 

Gamma V Laser Craft (6891)

6891: Gamma V Laser Craft
Features: Modular spaceship comes with a single black astronaut and a blue robot.

Thoughts: Angled wings are a nice touch on the rear.

6891: Gamma V Laser Craft6891: Gamma V Laser Craft6891: Gamma V Laser Craft6891: Gamma V Laser Craft

 

FX Star Patroller (6931)

6931: FX Star Patroller
Features: Modular spaceship with six-wheeled rover, yellow astronaut, and black robot.

Thoughts: 💙 the weapon/sensor arrays up front.

6931: FX Star Patroller6931: FX Star Patroller6931: FX Star Patroller

 

Solar Power Transporter (6952)


Features: Large ground vehicle with a central trailer and twin cockpits at front and rear. Comes with four astronauts and a brick-built robot.

Thoughts: Giant push-me-pull-you. Splits to form two flyers (with wheels as hover jets) or 1 really odd car. Jet pack! 💯

Wrap-Up

This was LEGO Space’s biggest year yet (in terms of number of sets released). Of the thirteen sets released in 1985, only one set came with more than one astronaut (although several came with robot companions). I thought this was a strong year. Stand out sets are Walking Astro Grappler (6882) and Solar Power Transporter (6952).

Next up: Space 1986