Tag Archives: NASA

LEGO Technic 42182 NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle – LRV – A top notch replica? [Review]

The LEGO Group’s partnership with NASA has been a fruitful one, giving us loads of epic space sets. Misses don’t really come to mind as far as delivering accurate replica models. So the anticipation after hearing about a possible lunar rover has been intense, and we couldn’t wait to see it in person. Now that we have it in our hands, it’s time to give this 1913-piece kit a thorough inspection. Come with us as we do some data collection on the LEGO Technic 42182 NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle -LRV, which will be available August 1st and retail for US $219.99 | CAN $289.99 | UK £189.99.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick a copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Continue to our in-depth review

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LEGO Icons & LEGO Art sets 10341 Artemis Space Launch System and 31212 The Milky Way Galaxy unveiled for summer 2024 [NEWS]

For years, LEGO has offered a wealth of options to delight space enthusiasts. This year has seen a resurgence in space-themed LEGO sets, and today, LEGO introduces two new additions in this vein: The 10341 Artemis Space Launch System, joining the LEGO Icons collection, and the 31212 The Milky Way Galaxy, expanding the LEGO Art line of products. These sets will be available on LEGO’s website on May 15th for LEGO Insiders (May 18th for everyone else).

Read all about these two new sets below

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LEGO Technic 42158 NASA Mars Rover Perseverance officially revealed as latest real-life space set [News]

Today LEGO has officially revealed the latest set based on real-life spacecraft with the LEGO Technic 42158 NASA Mars Rover Perseverance, a 1,132-piece model of the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab’s newest red planet vehicle, including its flying companion, the Ingenuity Helicopter. The 12.5-inch long model (32cm) features all-new wheel elements with working steering and articulated suspension, as well as with a moveable arm. Although the model is not motorized, there is a companion augmented reality (AR) app that can show the model on a Mars-like surface and allow users to check the weather on Mars or learn other facts about the fourth planet from the sun. The set will be available starting June 1 for US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £84.99.

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Seeing the world on rose-tinted terrain

No need to adjust your glasses. Everything’s looking rosy in this darling LEGO FebRovery build by Julius Kanand. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the jewel piece put to such excellent use as to create the ground in this diorama. Add in the mass of red crystal behind the rover, as well as the occasional bump and crag from the LEGO crystal part, and it’s hard to tear my eyes away from the background. But when I do, I’m greeted with an astonishing white rover, reminiscent of NASA’s best work! Each gray tube and bit of texture tagged onto this beauty provides a level of realism betrayed by its fantastical location.

Crystal Hopper

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One small brick for man...

With NASA preparing to launch the first Artemis mission that will return humans to the moon, it’s the perfect opportunity to revisit the first time mankind walked on the lunar surface. This lovely little diorama by Robert4168/Garmadon portrays the classic moment of Buzz Aldrin standing next to the flag after the Apollo 11 landing. The iconic white spacesuit looks great at this scale, and the rough lunar surface looks the part. The best detail though? Using a microfigure astronaut for Neil Armstrong’s reflection in the suit’s faceplate.

One small brick for man...

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Oops! Accidental spaceship!

If you know the struggles of ADHD, you’re familiar with the double-edged sword of hyperfocus. Builder Kale Frost was probably supposed to review the line of new LEGO City Space sets that he was sent but he clearly got distracted. There are a ton of new and rare parts that come with this line, as well as recolors and prints which lend themselves well to the space theme. After tossing out the instructions, Kale dove into the plethora of new pieces and came up with this impressively large cargo freighter.

Accidental Spaceship

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LEGO City Space 60348 Lunar Roving Vehicle & 60350 Lunar Research Base [Review]

When I was a kid, the LEGO City line was one of my favorites (though it was called Town back then). But these days, between Star Wars and Ideas and massive Creator Expert sets and all the other cool themes I enjoy, I don’t often get the opportunity to build City sets. So I was excited when LEGO reached out to us about reviewing the latest wave of LEGO City sets, which focus on space exploration. Real-world space has long been one of the recurring City themes, along with firefighters and police and construction, with the first space shuttle set launching in 1990. This latest wave is inspired by NASA’s Artemis project, the planned mission to return to the moon by 2025 (the first Artemis I unmanned mission is planned for this spring). Today we’re looking at two sets in the middle of the range, 60348 Lunar Roving Vehicle with 275 pieces (US $39.99 | CAN $49.99 | UK £24.99), and 60350 Lunar Research Base with 786 pieces (US $119.99 | CAN $149.99 | UK £89.99). Both sets will be available March 1.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with early copies of these sets for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Read the full, hands-on review

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Huge LEGO City 2022 lineup revealed with 21 new sets, bringing Fire, Police, NASA, and more [News]

Today LEGO has revealed a huge swath of new LEGO City sets for 2022, taking the wraps off 21 new sets. The sets span the usual City subjects with a heavy emphasis on emergency services with a new police station, fire station, and hospital, but also bring some less common subjects like a school, city park, and even a sardine factory. LEGO also revealed a pair of new City space sets that are a collaboration with NASA and are loosely based on NASA’s real-life Artemis project to return to the moon. While LEGO only revealed two of these NASA-inspired sets, we know there are more in the works since the back of the boxes point to there being additional sets in the space lineup. All of the new sets will be available Jan. 1, 2022.

Click to see all the new LEGO City 2022 sets

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Microscale Tales of the Space Age in LEGO

Humanity didn’t make it to space all at once. Like a ladder to the stars, our journey to the moon and beyond took many small steps. Each necessary part of the adventure, the good and bad, helped our species step out into the cosmos. Celebrating this era of discovery, builder Jan Woznica brings us a series of builds that are truly works of art. Each model evokes elements of exploration underlining our adventures in our solar neighborhood. Clever parts usage and pleasing color gradients give each of these a satisfying appeal worthy of displaying. Let’s take a closer look while you debate which would look best in your office or home.

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Eat your heart out, NASA

One small step for a minifigure, one giant leap for minifigure-kind. Builder Centuri Chan has created a fantastic spaceship to get the first two minifigures to Mars by 2028. Nostalgia certainly is a powerful force and the new buildable figures provided a perfect template for Centuri Chan to project their love for the Classic Space theme. This Minifigure Launch System, as dubbed by the builder, is a playful spin on the brick-built mega-figures that LEGO has begun to release. Littered with astronauts and robots, this crawler is on its way to the launch pad for further testing of this minifigure-inspired spacecraft. Two yellow pilots sit in the helmet, just above a wonderful, brick-built Classic Space logo while the rest of the crew tends their various assignments. I love the nod to Classic City sets and Octan with the white, red, and green tanks.

Race to Mars! Minifigure Launch System (MLS)

Checking out the back lets us see the boosters that Centuri Chan attached to the spaceman-spacecraft while also making us wonder what exactly the elusive orange spaceman is doing up there.

Race to Mars! Minifigure Launch System (MLS)

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It’s a simple idiot-proofing scheme that’s very effective. But no idiot-proofing can overcome a determined idiot.

The title is a quote from the novel Artemis by Andy Weir. It points out the wit of scientific redundancies meant to keep people safe and this suit is a testament in its own right. Space nerds like me have been blessed by the LEGO Group in recent years. Sets like the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander, the International Space Station, and recently the Space Shuttle Discovery, give the rocket scientists and astronomers in all of us a big thrill. There are so many iconic elements from the past that would make great sets but let’s take a peek at the future of scientific idiot-proofing with Spacemanship123’s NASA Artemis Spacesuit.

LEGO Ideas: NASA Artemis Spacesuit Continue reading →

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It takes Ingenuity to fly a craft on Mars

What does NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer Stephen Pakbaz do for fun when he’s not working on real-life Mars vehicles? Well, it turns out he builds Mars vehicles in LEGO. Here is a 1:1 scale, motorized model of the Ingenuity Helicopter that spans about four feet (1.2 meters) across. In case you’ve been living under a meteorite this past month this craft has made headlines with a number of historic flights.You can keep up with the latest real-life shenanigans of the helicopter on Mars on Nasa’s official website. As for LEGO-life shenanigans, you may notice that Stephen has also built the Ingenuity a leeetle friend in 1:3 scale. That one he has launched on LEGO Ideas in hopes of gaining the votes needed to maybe make it an official set at some point. This isn’t Stephen’s first orbit with LEGO Ideas. He was successful in turning the Curiosity Rover into an official set back in the early days when LEGO Ideas was called Cuusoo. Check out our interview from 2013.

Full Size LEGO Ingenuity 02

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