This new LEGO creation by Rubblemaker is called Symbiosis. If you recall your grade school science classes, symbiosis is where two organisms share a mutually beneficial relationship. I’m not entirely sure if this is mutually beneficial; that poor clod in the cockpit may or may not be this ship’s pilot but it is most definitely its fuel source. If this ship moves as fast as Voyager II, it would take this suffering fool 9.5 years to get to Uranus. Plus you couldn’t even land there because science journals, as well as my grade school self, will tell us that Uranus is a gaseous, smelly giant. It’s likely you’d have to keep going for another few decades to reach a land-able rock and even then it’s no guarantee the locals will be friendly. Space travel sucks!
Tag Archives: Space
Familiar ideas on unfamiliar planets
The fun of science fiction is to imagine how things could be, and LEGO is a great medium to realize these ideas. Take for example this bright build from Bart De Dobbelaer and its fantastic mining machines. These devices can mine the ore and resources of delicate planets with minimal destruction to the environment. This is the best hope for extracting resources from other worlds should we travel the stars. LEGO is wonderful for this build, given the fun shapes and colors of the bricks and pieces. The purple and transparent blues give the planet a unique presence, while the machines themselves look almost insect-like with their rounded edges and curved backs holding all the extracted minerals.
Does a checkered flag even wave in space?
This LEGO Speed Champions space-ification by EricTheSkeleton is giving me some serious “2013” vibes. For it was a decade ago that we were introduced to GARC, or the Galactic Asteroid Rally Circuit. And while Eric’s terrific speedsters are more “circuit” than “rally,” they still leave me pining for the golden age of LEGO space racing. With all the recent Speed Champions options out there now, maybe it’s time for a comeback…
A spaceship of a different color
Like the old saying, “a horse of a different color,” this LEGO spaceship by Dwalin Forkbeard is quite unique. Not only is it fairly uncommon for spaceships to be brown, most spaceships don’t have wings such as these either. With all the ships out there, it’s refreshing to see one that is distinctly different. The brown spaceman provides the perfect opportunity to build a ship that suits him, and this does it so well. The angles, landing gear, and barrel booster are all pleasing to the eye.
If you enjoy this model, check out other builds by Dwalin Forbeard. And while you’re at it, take a look at all of the space builds in our archives.
One small step for a monkey, one giant leap for apekind
According to this spectacular LEGO creation by Andrés Herrera, maybe Planet of the Apes could be somewhere other than Earth. I love this spacewalking simian, with its clean lines and perfect posing. The instrument panel breaks up its clean look quite nicely without being too complex. And the rocky lunar turf beneath its feet provides the right atmosphere, or lack thereof. But my favorite part has got to be that monkey head inside the space helmet. Working within such a confined space can lead to challenges when trying to craft something as complex as a face. But Andres handles it like an absolute pro using plenty of studs in all kinds of directions.
Tales of the Space Age 2: Electric Boogaloo
Some say that sequels rarely live up to the originals. Personally, I disagree, and there are plenty of examples: Terminator 2, the Godfather, the Empire Strikes Back… and Jan Woznica! Hot on the heels of his beautiful Ideas set 21340 Tales of the Space Age hitting shelves, Jan has graced us with another trio of space vistas. Aren’t they gorgeous? The use of printed tiles as increasingly distant planets in the left-hand one is especially neat. My favourite is undoubtedly the centre one though, depicting what looks like the Cassini probe orbiting Saturn. The way the flex tubes converge to give the illusion of rings disappearing into the distance is epic.
Exploring strange new worlds
The universe, much like LEGO, is full of possibilities for all sorts of amazing and mind-bending wonders. Bart De Dobbelaer captures this well in this alien landscape build. The strange new world is full of bright and bizarre plant life growing up wherever. Using bright pink and green pieces, the alien plants come to life and stand out against the white and greys prevalent in the build. Technic, Bionicle, and Hero Factory pieces give the large formations on the planet’s surface an otherworldly appearance, twisting and turning every which way. Who knows what other wonders these explorers will find on their adventures!
A space baby on a mission with with a porpoise
Well, LEGO builder Tim Goddard has just checked pretty much all the boxes that spell The Brothers Brick success. He’s got an adorable baby with a Classic Space onesie, a spaceship shaped like a dolphin, and great parts usage. I think this means we’re contractually obligated to feature it. It says so in the Ancient Doctrines, somewhere in the back. Probably. We simply overload y’all with cuteness, then call it a day. It makes my job easier, really. Thanks, Tim!
Like a good bra, this rover lifts and separates
The orange brick separator is so ubiquitous that, as I write this, I’m less than two feet from one now. It keeps staring at me like it knows I’m writing about it. If you bought a LEGO set of at least $50 or any Ideas set of any price, chances are you have at least one Brick Separator too. Joey Klusnick has upscaled the Brick Separator and made it a feature in this clever rover. If you’re on a wicked cool space journey and suddenly have to pry up some LEGO this rover would suit your needs nicely. Others, including Joey, have used the Brick Separator in their builds. Click the little blue link to see what I mean.
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.
What’s orange and teal all over?
The month of February is almost over, and that means an explosion in rovers thanks to the annual FebRovery challenge. We’ve seen scores of rovers in various classic colors like trans-yellow and blue, but this one by Ids de Jong stood out to me precisely because of its unorthodox and eye-catching colors. The trans-neon-orange windscreen reminds me a wee bit of LEGO’s Aquasharks theme but the teal and old dark grey gives it a vintage vibe that’s hard so hard to accomplish, and I’m here for it.
A micro look at some galactic vehicles
These micro vehicles by Fuku Saku really make me nostalgic for those mini kits in the classic LEGO Star Wars games! There’s just something about small Star Wars spaceships that brings so much joy. It’s probably how unique the ship designs are, especially from the Clone Wars era. Take for instance the Naboo starfighter (the bright yellow ship), with its sleek and shiny look. Then there’s the Wookie catamaran (the second ship in the top row) with its more natural appearance–quite unique! Now, not all of these are spaceships–some are planet-side machines like walkers and cannons, but they’re still standouts in designs. Their colors help with that! I’d love to see all of these vehicles set up in a big display or diorama.