Lego shrinks NASA's biggest rocket – accuracy sold separately

The launch of the Artemis II mission to send humans around the Moon is fast approaching. The Register had a go at building Lego's latest SLS set and found it a lot of fun, particularly making whooshing noises as the rocket "launches." The 632-piece set uses Lego Technic elements to recreate NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). …

[frankvw]

"...the solid rocket boosters separate..."

No, they start to resemble warp nacelles. Or maybe that's just me.

[Uncle Slacky]

Re: "...the solid rocket boosters separate..."

It does look like it could be adapted into a "Phoenix" set for Star Trek fans.

[45RPM]

And surely playability is what Lego is all about? It isn’t a slur to call Lego a toy - toys are wonderful. I’m close to retirement and I still love to play with toys - especially tactile, physical ones. For me, and I appreciate that there are different opinions out there equally valuable to mine, a completed Lego model that sits on the shelf and never gets played with it just something else that needs to be dusted.

[Neil Barnes]

We all had that one friend as a child who never took the toy cars out of their box... I am pleased to see that you are not he. (Or she, but it was usually a he.)

Have one of these, kit form or fully assembled, your choice --->

[LogicGate]

The real Lego Rocket should be picked up from the launchpad while making rumbling noises, run a coupleof times around the house while discarding various stages and finally landed in the little brother's bedroom, preferrably on a moonscape made put of blankets.

I built Lancaster bombers with 4 electric motors which regularily crash landed in the hallway. Collect (most) pieces, rebuild and go off on the next mission.

[45RPM]

I had rubber band powered model aeroplanes that I flew until they could take it no more (eventually they wouldn't fly straight anymore), whereupon I hung them from my bedroom ceiling. But the fun didn't stop there - because I also had a BB gun (which made an excellent anti-aircraft cannon). Sitting on the floor, back against the radiator, taking pot-shots. Honestly, I'm quite glad that my son isn't me!

[Philo T Farnsworth]

Yeah, but the kid, who is probably a Certified Public Accountant now, probably will make a mint when they sell them on the collector's market.

[Anonymous Coward]

A lot of adults treat Lego as glueless model kits or zen gardening, and I imagine this set is not what they are looking for. But for actual kids, this looks like the right bucket of bricks to build any moon mission you can think of. Bigger and more accurate Lego models are generally overspecialised to the point of being useless for creative building, but adults will pay 500 bucks for an Eiffel Tower that has 1000 of the same brick and offers ten hours of assembly line work, so Lego will inevitably prioritise their AFOLs...

[Shades]

Bigger and more accurate Lego models are generally overspecialised to the point of being useless for creative building

I used to love Lego when I was a kid. Lots of standardised blocks and plates, and even "specialised" parts (like plane windows and wings) found their way into multiple sets. Even Technics seemed to be kept intentionally limited, so things looked roughly like what they were supposed to within the confines of standard parts. Now though, as you say, there are so many builds that have parts that apply to one build, and that build only, once the build is done, then what? It's not like you can break them down and build your own thing.

The cynic in me says this is entirely on purpose. If, with a combination of a few different sets, you can make the intended builds (and unlimited other things) then that doesn't make line go up like one-set one-build does.

[Pete 2]

Authenticity?

> Turning the crank and watching the rocket do its stuff

But the real question is does it leak hydrogen?

And then, has "delivery" been pushed back by a month.

[that one in the corner]

Re: Authenticity?

> has "delivery" been pushed back by a month

Next slot for pressies isn't until Easter, so - yes. In this corner, at least.

[Dave559]

Re: Authenticity?

The spring equinox [1] is sooner, and just as (if not more) astronomically suitable a gifting point :-)

Just a smidge too late for Imbolc, however…

[1] It is a northern hemisphere rocket after all, sorry upside-downers…

[Pete 2]

Re: Authenticity?

> Next slot for pressies isn't until Easter

What could be more romantic than a St. Valentine's day Moon rocket?

[Darkedge]

the Astronauts are creepy with the gold visor closed look.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hey, who turned out the lights?

[Anonymous Coward]

Derbyshire-esque music goes here ===>

*Who* does that remind me of ???

P.S.

Don't forget to count the shadows !!!

And of course ... ***Spoilers !!!!***

:)

[Timbo]

"the Astronauts are creepy with the gold visor closed look."

When I saw the picture of the 5 Lego astronauts, I was immediately reminded of seeing the members of Rammstein "Glow Dancing" when I saw them at Milton Keynes a few years back - the linked video is from a different venue

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLWuQnSA9uc

[Gavsky]

Having built a large oil rig & sailing ship, both made of LEGO but not kits, I would expect the same thing to happen. Moving these items downstairs to show parents etc, resulted in mid-stair calamity...

[LogicGate]

Not a calamity, a ship-wreck, with ensuing adventures on a lonely volcano island

[Anonymous Coward]

The floor is lava!

[drand]

The trick there is to wake early & annex some prime real estate, e.g. the middle of the the living room carpet, and also lay a trap for big people with a handful of strategically placed 4x2s in the doorway. Then you can avoid any stair-related mishaps and have a the bonus of said big people wanting to reclaim their space so they'll be keen to see what you've built.

[phuzz]

My cat managed to shove my Lego Mars rover Perseverance off the window sill the other night, and somehow it survived it's trip to the floor intact.

My sleep patterns were ruined, but that's cats for you.

[Anonymous Coward]

Let's not forget..

.. the strategically scattered small blocks to prevent any parent from silently approaching. That's about the only thing that changes when you get older: you move from perpetrator to victim :)

[I ain't Spartacus]

Re: Let's not forget..

Amateurs! In a world where young children can still get hold of Stickle Bricks (linky for those not in the know - Lego is only the second best floor defence system. I suppose 4-sided dice are also a more potent weapon than Lego as well?

[Mage]

Re: Let's not forget..

Or those things you tossed that were like caltrops. A set of six pointed metal jacks and a small ball. Maybe also called knucklebones.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let's not forget..

I thought Stickle Bricks were slightly softer to the touch and a more waxy feel than lego bricks. !!!???

BTW:

If '4 sided dice' are to be included then 'fragmented Walnut shells' should be, along with a handful of screws/bolts/nuts from your Meccano set !!!

:)

[IGotOut]

Re: Let's not forget..

I'll take your LEGO and Sticklebrick and raise you Barbie Hair clips.....that's after you've spent an hour undoing the 200 cable ties holding that bastard love child of a Nazi fever dream.

[I ain't Spartacus]

Re: Let's not forget..

that's after you've spent an hour undoing the 200 cable ties holding that bastard love child of a Nazi fever dream.

I'm now imagining that IGotOut has a shrine to Barbie, somewhere in the house. But not like a child's collection of favourite toys, or a collector's beautiful display. This is more the shrine that you'd see in a Hammer film about an evil cult, so you've got Barbie cable-tied to the altar - with Action Man poised above her, knife in hand, perhaps with a crowd of Lego little people cultists gathered around.

[Paul R]

Plastic bags?

I recently built this model, quite enjoyed it. But mine very definitely had paper bags for all the parts not plastic.