LEGO Space Project – Mark Pospesel (Coding and Other Stuff)

Space 1990

New Minfig and Color

M:Tron debuted a new minifigure design and a brand new color: transparent neon green. This bright color would be used widely across LEGO Space themes for a decade.

New Parts

Antenna Whip 8H
Minfigure, M:Tron
Magnet Cylindrical
Magnet Holder 2 x 3
Magnet Holder Tile 2 x 2 – Short Arms
Minifigure, Utensil Tool Chainsaw Body
Wheel Hard Plastic Medium (35mm D. x 31mm)

New Prints

The M:Tron “M” was printed on a number of different parts. There was also a new pattern for computer tiles.

Meteor Monitor (1875)

Features: Small flyer with posable wings.

Thoughts: This small Blacktron flyer was part of a 3-set value pack. The color scheme differed from earlier Blacktron sets.

Pulsar Charger (6811)

Features: Small flyer with a retro steering wheel.

Thoughts: Uses the new whip antenna piece (securely held in place with a clip).

Beacon Tracer (6833)

Features: Small rover canted at an angle with a canopy that opens.

Thoughts: The new 1 x 2 printed computer tile serves as the controls. Again makes use of the new whip antenna.

Vector Detector (6877)

Features: Small spaceship that hauls a crate using magnets.

Thoughts: Clever locking mechanism for the canopy. Features the new magnet parts and a container with a printed door. First and smallest space set to use magnets.

Celestial Forager (6896)

Features: Space tow truck (magnetic) with a neat steering mechanism.

Thoughts: I like the way the tow arm is secured with magnets. The new medium-sized space wheels debut here. They are smaller than the wheels introduced in 1989’s Spy-Trak I (6895).

6896 Celestial Forager

Steering mechanism

6896 Celestial Forager

Magnetic tow arm action

Particle Ioniser (6923)

Features: Mid-sized spacehip with magnetic crane, cargo crate, storage compartments, one astronaut and a robot.

Thoughts: A space helicopter? First appearance of a slightly larger magnetic crate. Nice use of the printed hinges to form posable wings. The robot is a throwback to Futuron and Classic Space.

Stellar Recon Voyager (6956)

Features: M:Tron flagship carries three magnetic crates, a crane, a rover, and two astronauts.

Thoughts: Smaller than previous flagships such as 1989’s Mission Commander (6986). The rover is stored via a magnet at the nose of the spaceship. The larger magnetic crate with the printed hinged doors is neat.

Stellar Recon Voyager

Magnetic rover

Mega Core Magnetizer (6989)

Features: Large ground vehicle with crane that carries three crates, two rovers, a small flyer, and three astronauts.

Thoughts: Best Space ground vehicle ever! The crane can deploy and stow all items aboard. I love the use of the larger quarter dome part to form a huge windscreen.

Mega Core Magnetizer 6989 Steering

Mega Core Magnetizer has a steering mechanism manipulated via a large radar dish.

Wrap-up

These are the 8 space sets (1 Blacktron + 7 M:Tron) from 1990.

Magnets are a great addition to LEGO Space. Even 30 years later these parts hold up well. M:Tron as a space theme centered on cargo and transport was a great addition to the LEGO Space line-up. My favorite set from 1990 is the Mega Core Magnetizer while second place goes to Celestial Forager.

Next up: Space 1991 and Blacktron gets a reboot.

Space 1989

New Parts

Minifigure, Space Police 1
Wheel Hard Plastic Large (54mm D. x 30mm)
Windscreen 10 x 4 x 2 1/3 Canopy

Evolution of black-suited astronauts (left-to-right): Classic Space, Futuron, Space Police 1.

Astro Dart (1620)

Features: Cute simple scooter with adjustable wings and thrusters piloted by a yellow astronaut.

Thoughts: I like the printed 1 x 1 tiles used to decorate the wings.

Lunar MPV Vehicle (1621)

Features: Articulated truck comes with a blue astronaut and a brick-built robot companion.

Thoughts: I quite like this bilaterally asymmetrical little truck.

Lunar MPV has a very cool steering mechanism that was only ever used in one other space set. Bonus points for upside down building.

Astro Dart and Lunar MPV were sold packaged together as “Space Combi-Pack”

Star Quest (1974)

Features: Cool flyer with movable wings, four hover pads, and a single astronaut.

Thoughts: I like the pair of printed 1 x 1 tiles on the wings and the reappearance of the slope with Classic Space logo for the nose. This was the only set where the black Futuron astronaut appeared with a white helmet instead of black.

Star Quest came packaged with Town (Flyer Cracker USA) and Castle (Smuggler’s Hayride) sets.

SP-Striker (6781)

Features: Mid-sized Space Police ship with electric lighting. Inner core slides out to form a smaller ship. Detachable jail cell with Blacktron prisoner.

Thoughts: This is my favorite of all the Space sets that used the 9V lighting system. The glowing computer panel slope is an especially nice touch. The new windscreen part is used with a canopy extender to elongate its shape even further. The jail cells are neat.

SP-Striker lights

Blinky lights. There are actually only 3 light bulbs: one for the computer and two to power the horizontal light bar. The light bar comprises two passive spreaders (with three front-facing prisms each) and two transparent red 1 x 6 bricks.

Laser Ranger (6810)

Features: Small ship with posable wings and thrusters.

Thoughts: Cool use of goblet pieces as thrusters. Shout out to the white slope printed with the Classic Space logo.

Message Decoder (6831)

Features: Small rover with ample firepower. Smallest Space Police set comes with one policeman astronaut.

Thoughts: Cute little buggy.

Auxiliary Patroller (6850)

Features: Small single pilot craft whose wings can be tucked in beneath the canopy.

Thoughts: I’m not so sure about making the center of the windshield opaque though…

Galactic Peace Keeper (6886)

Features: Small-sized Space Police ship. Wing guns tuck away beneath the side panels, and a jail cell with Blacktron prisoner mounts in back.

Thoughts: The new windscreen part gives this ship a sleek look. Without the jail cell, the ship looks skeletal.

Small and medium-sized Space Police ships

If the folding wing guns hidden under corner panels technique looks familiar, that’s because we just saw it in the Auxiliary Patroller (6850).

Spy Trak 1 (6895)

Features: Space Police ground vehicle with large wheels and elongated transparent red cockpit. Obligatory jail cell with Blacktron prisoner in rear.

Thoughts: This set marks the first appearance of the large hard plastic space wheels. Some people hate them, but I’m happy to see wheels that are both taller and wider than a minifigure as it allows for new types of vehicles. It also uses the new windscreen part to form its cockpit (which looks only half-finished).

Spy-Trak 1 Steering

Spy-Trak I uses a cool steering mechanism built from Technic parts.

Spy-Trak I’s steering mechanism is very similar to the one used in Lunar MPV, albeit on a larger scale.

Space Lock-Up Isolation Base (6955)

Features: Space Police base has room for two jail cells and a small flyer for transporting prisoners. Comes with two policeman and one jail cell with Blacktron prisoner.

Thoughts: Only comes with a single jail cell, so you need to combine it with another set to show its full potential. Sitting on only a half-sized baseplate, it is much smaller than previous space bases.

Space Lock-Up Isolation Base motion

Yet another Technic rack winder motion element: Turning the knob raises a jail cell to the upper deck while lowering the radar mast and retracting the launch platform.

Mission Commander (6986)

Features: Space Police flagship has detachable rear module, two jail cells, two small flyers, and a rover that doubles as the ship’s cockpit. The rover can be used to haul a jail cell. Comes with two policemen and one Blacktron prisoner.

Thoughts: Very nice-looking ship, but the mid-section is entirely devoted to the moving function. Like all other Space Police ships, it makes use of the new elongated windscreen part. I like the transparent red covers for the small flyers on the wings. The heft and shape of this ship reminds me of Cosmic Fleet Voyager (6985).

Mission Commander motion

Mission Commander employs a Technic rack winder to raise the cockpit canopy and eject the rover.

Wrap-Up

That’s it for the 11 space sets from 1989 (5 Futuron + 6 Space Police).

Futuron’s third and final year were all smallish sets. I think I liked them better than the Futuron sets from 1988. My favorite is Lunar MPV Vehicle.

Coming in at 6 sets, this was the entire run of the Space Police 1 theme. I like seeing transparent red used in space sets for the first time. I thought the jail cells and how they mount onto vehicles was fun and clever. It’s always good to get more Blacktron minifigures even if they’re only serving as prisoners. Spy-Trak 1 might be my favorite set although I also quite like SP-Striker and Mission Commander.

Next up: Space 1990 and the power of magnets!

Space 1988

New Parts

Bar 1 x 8 x 2
Panel 3 x 2 x 6
Panel 3 x 3 x 6 Corner Convex
Panel 4 x 4 x 6 Corner Concave

Lunar Transporter Patroller (6770)

Features: Articulated truck with flashing lights and siren sounds powered by the big 9V battery box in the rear. Came with one astronaut.

Thoughts: OK, but not great.

Twin-Winged Spoiler (6828)

Features: Small craft with a single astronaut.

Thoughts: Is it a walker or a flyer? Either way this small Futuron set came with plenty of cool parts.

Space Patroller (6830)

Features: Small swing-wing space plane with boosters that double as twin robot companions!

Thoughts: The detachable robots are neat. The new panel piece forms the ship’s windscreen.

Strategic Pursuer (6848)

Features: Single pilot mecha with a transparent blue windscreen.

Thoughts: Primitive mech with arms jointed only at the elbows and legs only at the ankles. Still, it looked cool.

Hovercraft (6875)

Features: Single pilot spacecraft with two deployable satellites/drones.

Thoughts: Two of the new panels in transparent blue form a wider windscreen than in Space Patroller (6830).

Alienator (6876)

Features: Menacing walker with tool storage in the rear and detachable cockpit.

Thoughts: I really like the looks of this model. The new panel piece in transparent yellow forms the windscreen. It seems like the rear cargo area could have held more than just a pair of tools…

Crater Crawler (6885)

Features: Articulated vehicle hauling a small scooter and a robot in the trailer.

Thoughts: First black-suited Futuron astronaut. A pair of the new convex corner parts in transparent blue form the cover on the trailer while a pair of the new concave corner parts in white form the wheel arches.

Interplanetary Rover (6925)

Features: Articulated vehicle with independent suspension, a small scooter stored in the rear, two robots, and two astronauts.

Thoughts: Feels like a rehash of the Uranium Search Vehicle (6928) from 1984. I do like the headlights and the robots look like they could work for Blacktron.

Message Intercept Base (6987)

Features: Large Blacktron base features opening hangar doors, moving comm dome, spaceship, rover, and five astronauts.

Thoughts: My vote for best space base ever. All three types of new panel pieces are used in this base, especially to form the S-shaped corridor. Like the Futuron Monorail Transport System (6990), this base has two moving functions. I love all the little details in this set.

Message Intercept Base Opening Doors

The opening wall function (courtesy of a Technic rack winder) is similar to that of Cosmic Laser Launcher (6953) from 1987.

Message Intercept Base Moving Dome

The moving dome function is also implemented by a Technic rack winder.

This set is so good I ended up with 3 copies of it!

Wrap-Up

So that’s the 9 LEGO Space sets from 1988 (7 Futuron + 2 Blacktron).

Futuron had a decent second year with these 7 sets. Nothing stands out like the previous year’s monorail, but it’s nice to see more smaller sets in the theme.

Blacktron only had the 2 sets in 1988 (shown above together with the 3 sets from 1987), but both were excellent.

If only there was someone or something to combat the spread of this Blacktron plague! (Hint: stay tuned for Space 1989)

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.

6953: Cosmic Laser Launcher

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.

6990: Monorail Transport System

Freight elevator function implemented using a Technic rack winder.

6990: Monorail Transport System

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!

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

Space 1984

New Parts

Blue and Black Spacemen: Join red, white, and yellow
Brick, Round 1 x 1 with Fins
Brick, Round 2 x 2 with Fins: Perfect for rockets and thrusters
Plate, Modified 1 x 4 Offset: offsets by 1/2 stud horizontally
Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Long Stud Receptacle (Space Wing): useful as wings or for mounting weapons and sensors
Bracket 3 x 2 – 2 x 2 (Space Seat): finally a seat that comfortably fits an astronaut with airtanks

Surface Rover (6804)

Features: Small rocket-propelled car with one astronaut and a walkie-talkie as an accessory.

Thoughts: This little guy is adorable! Very compact build debuts the new space seat, space wing, and rocket thruster parts.

Space Dart I (6824)

Features: Small needle-nosed plane with dual antennas and one astronaut with a walkie-talkie as an accessory.

Thoughts: This small sleek fighter has thrusters and weapons to spare. First blue astronaut. ❤️ the transparent-red antenna on the nose. Liberal use of the new space wing part.

Tri-Star Voyager (6846)

Features: Small blue and white ship with plenty of lasers. The rear white wings fold down to release an escape pod. One astronaut.

Thoughts: Uses seven of the new space wing pieces. I like the detachable escape pod.

Escape pod

Star Patrol Launcher (6871)

Features: Articulated ground vehicle that launches a small flying wedge. Comes with two astronauts and a video camera/bazooka for an accessory.

Thoughts: Another iteration on the launcher concept. This time with two astronauts, a blue ship, and balloon tires. I like the symmetry between the front ends of the ground vehicle and the spaceship. Bonus points for including a computer terminal on the ground vehicle.

Star Patrol Launcher (1984) vs Space Probe Launcher (1981)

Lunar Rocket Launcher (6881)

Features: Articulated vehicle that carries a rocket on the trailer. Comes with one astronaut and a video camera/bazooka and a walkie-talkie for accessories.

Thoughts: Third iteration on the mobile rocket launcher concept. Hoses are a nice touch. ❤️ the rocket tip. The rocket is much more robust compared to the 1978 original. Again, nice to see a computer terminal.

Twin hoses for refueling

Mobile Rocket Launchers 1978-84

Uranium Search Vehicle (6928)

Features: Jointed ground vehicle with a plethora of wheels and sensor arrays. Rear trailer has doors and roof that open to reveal a computer terminal. Comes with two astronauts.

Thoughts: I ❤️ this mobile lab! First black astronaut. Possibly my new fave. Sort of a cross between Surface Explorer (6880) and Mobile Lab (6901). I love the retro color scheme and all the little details such as the ladders for the astronauts to mount both the cab and trailer.

Front cab with four sensor arrays

Rear lab with computer terminal

Robot Command Center (6951)

Features: Rover, scooter, rocket, and three astronauts all in a robot-shaped base!

Thoughts: Goofy and awesome in a 60′s sci-fi B-movie way. Who wouldn’t want a space base shaped like a top-heavy robot on skates with side beaks and arms on the legs?

Scooter and rover

Cockpit has plenty of computer terminals, room for two astronauts, and storage for two accessories. Plus twin sun roofs!

Rocket

Inter-Galactic Command Base (6971)

Features: Base with computers, sensors, opening roof for rocket repairs, rocket, scooter, spaceship and three astronauts.

Thoughts: 💯 This was the refresh of 1980′s Beta-I Command Base (6970). Many interesting parts debuted over the four years between them.

Rocket in the repair bay

Spaceship and scooter. No ground rover this time.

End-on view of the base and twin radar arrays

Inside the base are a pair of computer terminals

Back side view

Wrap-Up

These eight sets in my opinion form one of the strongest years of Classic Space set releases. Uranium Search Vehicle, Robot Command Center, and Inter-Galactic Command Base are all highlights.

Next: Space 1985!

Space 1983

New Parts

Minifig, Utensil Loudhailer
Minifig, Utensil Metal Detector
Container, Box 2 x 2 x 2 with door
Support 2 x 4 x 5 Stanchion Inclined
Windscreen 6 x 4 x 2 Canopy
Wedge, Plate 8 x 8 with 4 x 4 Cutout

Super Model (1593)

Features: You get a communications module and a ship that docks with a ground vehicle. Red and yellow astronauts.

Thoughts: Wonderfully weird and awkward.

Space Patrol (6803)

Features: Small gray spaceship with blue accents, white astronaut, and a video camera/gun

Thoughts: Updated version of the small flying wedge. Swooshable. 🚀💫

Comparison with 1979’s Space Scooter (885)

Surface Transport (6823)

Features: Small, articulated ground vehicle with a scanner and a container for samples. Yellow astronaut.

Thoughts: Simple, functional, cute.

Seismological Vehicle (6844)

Features: Articulated ground vehicle with containers, dual sensors, & ground-scanning radar. White astronaut.

Thoughts: Fitting companion to the Surface Transport.

Space Supply Station (6930)

Features: Small base elevated over a crater plate with a command center, four radar dishes, two storage boxes, four astronauts, two ground vehicles, and two hovercrafts.

Thoughts: There’s not a lot to it, but I quite like this base.

Galaxy Commander (6980)

Features: Large modular spaceship with twin cockpits, separateable front and rear sections, and deployable base. Also comes with two ground vehicles, a landing pad, and five astronauts (two yellow, two white, and one red).

Thoughts: The largest Classic Space set and the only one to come with five astronauts. This was the flagship update to 1979’s Galaxy Explorer (497). This ship carries its own base with it. The white, blue, and transparent dark blue color scheme is similar to that seen in the Cosmic Cruiser. This was the last ship to come with its own landing pad.

Separated into segments.

Base with computer, rack for air tanks, opening wall/roof, and folding radar tower.

Front module. I like the elaborate front weapons.

Ground vehicles

Rear module with base docked. The docking mechanism is similar to that used in 1981’s All-Terrain Vehicle (6927).

Side-by-side comparison with Galaxy Explorer (497)

Wrap-Up

Not sure whether to call this five sets or six. I guess it’s five new sets and one set of building instructions for a rehash of two previous sets.

Next: Space 1984!

Space 1982

New Parts

Yellow Spaceman: joins Red & White
Dish 6 x 6 Inverted (Radar) Webbed: previous dishes were solid and either 4 x 4 or 8 x 8.
Minifig, Utensil Camera with Side Sight (Space Gun): either an old-fashioned video camera or a bazooka
Wheel Full Rubber Balloon with Axle hole: perfect for traversing craters
Hinge Plate 1 x 2 with 2 Fingers / 3 Fingers: New hinging system that will be widely used in a few years, but adoption is low in the early 80’s.

Surface Explorer (6880)

Features: Excavator/backhoe type machine with grabber jaws on one end and a shovel scoop on the other. Twin steering wheels, computer, radar, and twin lasers. Comes with a yellow spaceman and two accessories.

Thoughts: It’s like the mullet of space vehicles: business in the front, party in the back! First appearance of the yellow astronaut. This set goes all in on the new balloon tires. This set is a return to the mostly gray color scheme of early space ground vehicles.

The black space gun/camera can be removed from the webbed radar dish to be an accessory for the astronaut.

A close-up look at the new balloon tires. This set comes with 12 of them!

Cosmic Cruiser (6890)

Features: Small rocket sled that docks inside a larger spaceship shell (for faster-than-light travel?) piloted by a red astronaut.

Thoughts: Unique design. The blue on transparent dark blue with white is a new color scheme. The hinged vehicle roof is also new this year. The blue slope with classic space logo is unique to this set because its logo is smaller than those that appeared on the early enclosed spaceships (such as the Galaxy Explorer).

The inner rocket sled reminds me of 1981’s Small Space Shuttle Craft (6842)

Close-up look at the new hinged vehicle roof (here in a relatively rare transparent dark blue)

Mobile Rocket Transport (6950)

Features: Large vehicle with new big tires and independent suspension with computers, radar dish for tracking, and a jointed arm for placing a large rocket. Twin yellow spacemen.

Thoughts: Most epic of all the rocket launchers. Much larger than 1978’s Mobile Rocket Launcher (462). The color scheme harkens back to the earliest Space sets: white and black for the rocket and light gray, blue, and transparent yellow for the vehicle (albeit inverted with the base of the vehicle in blue and the top in gray).

The arm is long enough to set the rocket vertically on the ground. I really like the giant transparent yellow inverted space slope combined with the regular windscreen slope and 1 x 6 transparent yellow bricks.

Independent suspension handles craters with ease!

Close-up of the satellite that the rocket deploys.

Wrap-Up

At just three sets this has been the smallest wave yet. Mobile Rocket Transport (6950) is the stand-out set for this year- it really is a fantastic set that stands the test of time.

Next: Space 1983

Space 1981

Onto the third wave of LEGO Space sets!

New Parts

Some of the new parts for 1981 follow:

Arm Grab Jaw with Holder: nice addition for articulated arms
Engine, Strakes, 2 x 2 Thin Top Plate: bottom-mounted engine pieces
Hinge Plate 2 x 4 with Articulated Joint: sturdy connection for jointed vehicles
Plate, Round 1 x 1
Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Light: useful for holding small plates, antennas, or accessories.
Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Ladder
Slope, Inverted 33 5 x 6 x 2: the giant inverted space slope. Pairs well with the 6 stud wide transparent windscreen slopes.

Moon Buggy (6801)

Features: Small hover vehicle in gray with black accents, computer, white astronaut, walkie-talkie and a laser gun.

Thoughts: How is this a buggy without wheels? Cool use of radar dish the way it fits onto the plates both above and below. Nice to get two accessories and a printed slope in such a small set. This set has grown on me since building it – it’s definitely in the running for favorite small set.

Space Digger (6822)

Features: Small vehicle with four jets, positioning thrusters, and an articulated grabber arm piloted by a red astronaut with a walkie-talkie

Thoughts: Sort of like a space backhoe? Compact but functional. ❤️ the grabber jaws. Four of the new engine “strakes” provide support and thrust. The new clip light plate is used to mount the transparent red headlights.

Small Space Shuttle Craft (6842)

Features: Small ship with a single large engine, positioning thrusters, and side-mounted lasers piloted by a red astronaut.

Thoughts: Like riding a rocket. This was a speeder bike two years before Return of the Jedi showed us how speeder bikes should look like. White clip light plates hold a pair of black antenna at the rear. The new plate with ladder provides a way of mounting the ~~speeder bike~~ shuttle.

Space Probe Launcher (6870)

Features: Articulated ground vehicle that launches a small flying wedge with one red astronaut.

Thoughts: Neat small set but needs a second astronaut. The larger tires give it a rugged look. Mobile launcher is another archetype that will be revisited. I like the design symmetry of using the clip light plates to hold transparent 1 x 1 plates at the front of both the spaceship and the truck (also symmetry of a pair of positioning thrusters at the rear). Also note the use of the new articulated joint to connect the truck’s cab and trailer.

Here the plate with ladder part is used to represent the truck’s front grille.

All-Terrain Vehicle (6927)

Features: Ground vehicle that deploys a base via a clever mechanism. Dual radar dishes, two astronauts, and a pair of accessories.

Thoughts: Transparent dark blue windscreens! 💙 The ground vehicle uses white and black with transparent blue while the base employs the classic blue and transparent yellow color scheme.

Q: Why is this ground vehicle rocket-propelled?

A: Because space!

I really like the look of those transparent blue windows and the symmetry of the inverted slope below and regular slopes above. This photo also provides a good look at the white clip ring piece bearing transparent red headlights and the black ladders granting access to the cockpit.

The white 2 x 2 slopes on the doors connect with the blue inverted slopes on the sides of the base helping to lift it up and in. The transparent red round plates mounted on the sides of the base slide up the white 1 x 2 slopes on the vehicle’s sides. What an excellent design!

It’s quite cramped inside the base though. The astronaut cannot sit in the chair unless she doffs her backpack or wears it on her front. I do quite like the sturdy mechanism for raising the roof (no less than 4 hinge bricks).

Star Fleet Voyager (6929)

Features: Wasp-waisted mid-sized spaceship with a Concorde-style angled nose, cargo storage in the rear, a single red astronaut, and plenty of accessories.

Thoughts:Was this the replacement for the previous mid-sized ship, Space Cruiser LL924?

Opening cockpit roof. The windscreen and roof look great in transparent dark blue. The backwards facing Classic Space logo seems a little odd.

We’ve seen the mechanism of the back splitting open on hinge bricks twice before in the LL924 and Galaxy Explorer LL928, but this time the crate itself forms the floor of the cargo area and the doors latch the crate securely into place when they close (hence the 2 x 6 plate mounted on the crate’s roof).

Interesting use of window shutters as doors for the crate. I like that they provided six different accessories for this set. Some clip onto the outside of the ship, the rest go in the crate.

Wrap-Up

These are the six sets for 1981. Note the increased use of white and black in the color scheme as well as the introduction of transparent dark blue windows. LEGO was definitely trying to mix up the color scheme from the initial years. My favorite set of the lot is probably the All-Terrain Vehicle (6927) although the Moon Buggy (6801) is a great tiny set.

Next up: Space 1982