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!