The Register recreates Apollo 15 through the medium of plastic bricks, 50 years on

The Register's Lego Space odyssey continues with the addition of an Apollo Command and Service Module (CSM) to the official Lego Lunar Module kit. We built Lego's NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander (item 10266) just over two years ago and were impressed with the attention to detail as well as the opportunity for an impromptu science …

[Anonymous Coward]

A nice kit indeed. I would have liked an Apollo 13 kit more, though. To see a miniature Tom Hanks peering out of the service module window, you see.

[AndrueC]

Slightly quicker to build as well. Just leave some skin off and half an oxygen tank.

[Anonymous Coward]

Why Tom Hanks? He's not an astronaut and he wasn't aboard the real Apollo 13. Why we should replace the real history with a fake retelling of it?

[Graham Dawson]

All recorded history is a fake retelling. The only difference is how detailed are the embellishments and who is adding them.

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe before direct recording of an event. Really, do you need bad movies to remember History?

[Graham Dawson]

Even direct recording can be recontextualised to tell whichever story you like. You just need a good editor.

Think The Running Man.

[Charlie Clark]

I think Wag the Dog covered this best: if it's on television it must be true; even if it's fictional.

[Richard Gray 1]

Awesome... now link to the plans

Brilliant build, but why no link to the plans?

I want to be sure I'll build the right one .

[Marki Mark]

Facebook

Bricks In Space Facebook group

Though tempting, not sure it's worth unblocking Facebook

[Pascal Monett]

It's not

[b0llchit]

3..2..1..

When are you departing for the moon?

Bricks on the Moon. A new goal! Not because it is easy, but because it is hard (-plastic).

[Peter Gathercole]

Re: 3..2..1..

Sorry. Lester is no longer with us to lead the delivery vehicle project.

Whatever happened to Lohan. I feel we need to repatriate it!

Raise a glass to his memory.

[Rich 11]

Re: 3..2..1..

Done!

[ravenviz]

Re: 3..2..1..

I’ve still got the mug!

[Andy The Hat]

"Why can't they make the Starliner work now"

The valves had bricked themselves ...

Coat already on ...

[Norman Nescio]

Re: "Why can't they make the Starliner work now"

Nah. The valves wouldn't LEGO. Geddit? Leggo... Let go.

Ah'll get me coat. Join ya ah'side.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Why can't they make the Starliner work now"

Because Boeing had nothing to do with the SM/CM/LM. The SM/CM was IIRC made by North American, and the LM made by Grumman.

[Bubba Von Braun]

Re: "Why can't they make the Starliner work now"

Boeing acquired North American as part of the Rockwell sell off in 1996. Boeing acquired NAA, RocketDyne and Rockwell's defense electronics businesses.

So Boeing became the service point for the Space Shuttle :-)

Boeing is a shadow of its former self thanks to the bean-counters who set out to line their pockets, while producing rubbish product. During the Apollo era I don't think propellant valves would get stuck after so few duty cycles.

[teknopaul]

Nasa did a lot right

But _everyone_ knows that the best spacemen are blue.

I don't understand why they keep kidding themselves.

They get the space logo wrong too. Close but nasa scientists really should pay more attention to the details.

[Muscleguy]

In its defence Starliner flies beautifully. It’s the landing bit which has been the problem but then it is really meant to land on Moon or Mars gravity which is much more and slightly more forgiving respectively.

[Nick Ryan]

Dammit, now I'm going to have to load up Kerbal Space Program and fire some more kerbals at the moon hoping that at least one of them... sticks? Ah, whatever.

[Imhotep]

Forgive My Ignorance, But...

Do these all use standard Lego blocks, or are these enthusiasts producing specialized blocks for these builds?

[Ian Johnston]

"If they were doing this 50 years ago, why can't they make the Starliner work now?"

Because they were happy to accept a very high risk to the astronauts' lives then (and since - see: Challenger), and although their appetite for risk has reduced their engineering processes haven't changed enough. Basically, they don't know how to make things as safe as they need to be.

[TheProf]

Crunch

I think the attempts at recreating the curves of the Command Module in LEGO are missing the 'looks right' factor.

To my eye it's just too straight and has too many gaps. I'm not knocking the great job these LEGOnauts have done, it's just that they've come up against the limitation of straight lines representing curves.

That said, I'm totally impressed with the interiors. I'd rather have the models showing the fuel tanks and the CM interior.

Of course when LEGO release the official kit next year* I'll be there with my credit card ready.

*you never know.

[Sceptic Tank]

The Stand

I wish I could ignore the terrible stand.

Anyway, what's the obsession with Lego models these days? Back in the day one could buy a detailed scale model in a box, together with some glue and paint. Hours of fun! It's not like these fancy pants Lego kits can be repurposed to build anything else like the Lego of yore.

[TheRealRoland]

Re: The Stand

Quite a stand.

*taps the sign* Boot. Notes.

[Ian Johnston]

Re: The Stand

Yes, it's rather sad that a toy which used to be for children with imagination is now for adults with no imagination.

Also they have sold out by making green bricks and weapons.