Had a biopsy come back positive this week. And by positive I mean not in a good way. How’s your week going? (Nothing life-threatening, thankfully)
Author: Mark
Mark is an American computer programmer living in Switzerland.
Lock the catbox
TIL it’s “I bless the rains down in Africa” and not miss.
The holidays are over
(Holiday season is officially over because we finally took our tree down. Our current record is leaving it up until June!)
Open season on chocolate
I have declared open season on all the leftover holiday chocolate.
Space 1987
New Parts
- Panel 10 x 6 x 11
- Panel 10 x 10 x 12 Quarter Dome
- Plate, Modified 10 x 10 without Corner
- Tile, Modified 1 x 2 with Handle
- Wedge, Plate 3 x 6 Cut Corners
- Windscreen 6 x 6 Octagonal Canopy
Spy-Bot (1498)
Features: Brick-built robot with rotating head and movable arms and legs.
Thoughts: Dorky-looking retro sci-fi robot. Nice articulation on the arms; the legs, not so much.
Twin Starfire (1499)
Features: Smallish spaceship with canards, dual octagonal cockpits, and twin yellow astronauts.
Thoughts: First use of the new octagonal canopies. (Also first use of the new tile with handle, shown here in blue.) Nice selection of printed parts.
Galaxy Trekkor (6808)
Features: Small flyer with posable wings and a blue astronaut.
Thoughts: Handsome little ship.
XT-5 and Droid (6809)
Features: Blue astronaut in a small hover chair plus a robot companion.
Thoughts: Super cute! The black control levers used to control the chair are also new this year. I’m not sure why the hover chair’s headrest has a computer panel though…
Strata Scooter (6827)
Features: Small ground vehicle with posable wings and antennae driven by a blue astronaut.
Thoughts: Cute little rover
Satellite Patroller (6849)
Features: Articulated ground vehicle carrying a small satellite on its trailer. Comes with a yellow astronaut.
Thoughts: Another variant on the satellite launcher archetype. The new wedge plates form the octagonal shape of the trailer.
Terrestrial Rover (6883)
Features: Articulated ground vehicle with a satellite to launch plus a small drone and a white astronaut.
Thoughts: Yet another satellite launcher. Looks a little rickety. I like the drone and the tail piece printed with the Classic Space logo.
Aero Module (6884)
Features: Sleek spacecraft with astronaut, rover, and robot tightly packed beneath a large blue windscreen.
Thoughts: The rover fits so securely when the windscreen is locked in place that it doesn’t even rattle if you shake it or fly it upside down. The new large panel part forms the windscreen. Similar to the Star Defender 200 (6932) without the side pods.
Orion II Hyperspace (6893)
Features: Three-part modular vehicle: front cockpit, mid scooter, and rear trailer holding a robot-driven rover. Comes with blue and yellow Futuron astronauts and a brick-built robot.
Thoughts: I especially like the scooter and its control scheme. The new octagonal windscreens are used here in white to form the walls of the trailer.
Invader (6894)
Features: Blacktron mid-sized ship. Modular with front cockpit, mid cargo container, and rear engine sections. Comes with one astronaut and a brick-built robot.
Thoughts: 4 of the new wedge plates in transparent red form the fins at the rear. It seems like the middle cargo section could have held more than just the robot and a few tools.
Stardefender 200 (6932)
Features: The Futuron flagship comes with large central windscreen, twin side pods, two yellow astronauts, and a small rover.
Thoughts: The center section looks sleek and fierce but the side pods are a little blocky. The new large panel (printed with 200) forms the central windscreen while the new octagonal canopies are used for the side pods. Inexplicably the pilots sit in the side pods and not the central craft.
Battrax (6941)
Features: Modular ground vehicle that splits into three parts. Comes with one astronaut.
Thoughts: A space hot rod / dragster! Kudos to whoever dreamed up this one. A canopy extender (also new this year) in transparent yellow is used to elongate the cockpit’s canopy and give it that dragster feel. (Another canopy extender in transparent blue is used on the train in Monorail Transport System.) I like the big wheels and the heavily armed tail section.
Cosmic Laser Launcher (6953)
Features: Futuron base features walls that open up to launch a rocket. Includes three astronauts and a truck to transport the rocket.
Thoughts: The rocket is chunky, but I love how the walls open while the rocket is raised up. The clever moving function is enabled by a Technic rack winder.
Renegade (6954)
Features: Asymmetrical large spaceship that separates into nine components! Comes with two astronauts.
Thoughts: The Blacktron flagship does not disappoint. I love the hyper-modularity and unusual appearance. 2 of the new 10 x 10 plate without corner in black help form the shape of the ship.
Polaris I Space Lab (6972)
Features: Rocket-launching base featuring twin monorails leading to scooter launch pads. Comes with three blue astronauts.
Thoughts: I 💙 the diagonal bilateral symmetry. This could easily have been a Futuron set.
Monorail Transport System (6990)
Features: Two bases, a monorail with vertical ramps, cargo crates, loader vehicle, five astronauts, a small scooter, etc.
Thoughts: A working electric cogwheel monorail! There’s so much going on here. I love the larger base with the two transparent blue quarter domes that move.
Freight elevator function implemented using a Technic rack winder.
Sliding/rotating loading dock, implemented via another Technic rack winder. The loading dock uses two of the new quarter dome panels in transparent blue. (The quarter dome’s footprint perfectly matches the new 10 x 10 plate without corner.)
Wrap-Up
At sixteen sets, this is once again the largest year yet (for the third year in a row). This was the final year for new Classic Space sets. Two new Space themes were introduced as replacements for Classic Space. Futuron seem to be the successors to Classic Space with the first redesign to the astronaut minifig since its debut in 1978. Blacktron was something new altogether: alien and menacing in their black suits and opaque black visors.
This was not the strongest year for Classic Space (8 sets) although Polaris I Space Lab was a highlight. There certainly were a lot of blue astronauts used in this year’s Classic Space sets.
Futuron (5 sets) made a strong debut. Of course the monorail was the crowning achievement of LEGO Space for 1987. It’s hard to top a working electric monorail, and it was also the largest Space set for the 20 year span I’m covering. Aero-Module is also quite good for a small set.
Blacktron (3 sets) also made an excellent debut. These sets were visually and stylistically different from all previous space sets.
My favorite feature of the early Blacktron sets was their modularity. Parts from the three different sets could be recombined to form new vehicles.
Next stop: Space 1988, beyond Classic Space!
2152: Robo Raptor
2152-1: Robo Raptor, 1997. Walking dino mech with an astronaut rider. Head rotates, three-clawed arms move at the shoulder, and the tail is articulated. This is the future I was promised!
Walkers, 1986-97
Walkers, 1986-97
2151: Robo Raider
2151-1: Robo Raider, 1997. Walking robot mech with articulated arms ending in grasping pincers and a laser chainsaw. The head detaches to form a small flyer. This is the first set in a new Space theme: RoboForce.
Space 1986
New Parts
- 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)
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.
Sonar Transmitting Cruiser (6783)
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.
Space Probe (6802)
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)
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.
Cosmic Charger (6845)
Features: Blue space plane with fold-down wings and a white astronaut.
Thoughts: Contrasting color scheme to Starfire I (6820).
Moon Rover (6874)
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.
Modular Space Transport (6892)
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).
Mobile Recovery Vehicle (6926)
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).
Alien Moon Stalker (6940)
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).
Cosmic Fleet Voyager (6985)
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.
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
New Parts
- 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)
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.
Astro Dasher (6805)
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.
Surface Hopper (6806)
Features: Red astronaut in a hover chair.
Thoughts: Thrusters galore! I ❤️ these tiny sets.
Space Sledge with Astronaut and Robot (6807)
Features: Another astronaut with hover chair – this time in yellow with a small robot companion.
Thoughts: Simple and fun.
Cosmic Comet (6825)
Features: Small blue flyer decorated with transparent yellow hoses. Comes with a white astronaut.
Thoughts: I like the reverse swept wings.
Crater Crawler (6826)
Features: Lunar rover with detachable hover chair for quick getaways. Comes with a yellow astronaut.
Thoughts: I love the hover chair escape pod!
Space Dozer (6847)
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.
Inter-Planetary Shuttle (6848)
Features: Small gray spaceship with a red astronaut, storage compartments in back, and reverse swept wings.
Thoughts: Looks more like a hovercraft to me.
Xenon X-Craft (6872)
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.
Walking Astro Grappler (6882)
Features: Bizarre walker (technically a shuffler) comes with a single black astronaut.
Thoughts: 💙 the beak-like standup cockpit and articulated grabber arm.
Gamma V Laser Craft (6891)
Features: Modular spaceship comes with a single black astronaut and a blue robot.
Thoughts: Angled wings are a nice touch on the rear.
FX Star Patroller (6931)
Features: Modular spaceship with six-wheeled rover, yellow astronaut, and black robot.
Thoughts: 💙 the weapon/sensor arrays up front.
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