In order to pull off the unique chrome look for the payload bay, there’s an entire sticker sheet that you’ll have to apply, which is tedious at best. Stickers have long been the bane of my existence in LEGO kits, and the latest NASA-inspired build may be one of the worst offenders. As an avid Star Wars collector, the UCS kits can stand to learn a thing or two from the rounded bases, which frankly look much better than the typical stands that have been tolerated up until now.Īs good as the LEGO Space Shuttle Discovery is, there is one drawback that I feel inclined to mention in this review. Now I know it’s not the most exciting thing, but the stands included are something that really caught my eye. Even though there aren’t any microfigs included with the set, the build is actually the perfect size to fit with the mini astronauts that were included with the International Space Station. Then, up at the front, LEGO has managed to deliver a more or less faithful recreation of the cockpit and crew compartment despite being far from minifigure scale. There’s also a robotic arm and some other sensors throughout for added authenticity. Alongside just being able to store the Hubble Telescope inside, there’s an included stand that allows you to simulate deploying the payload when up on display. Working your way up through the Space Shuttle Discovery, LEGO has packed quite a few notable inclusions into the payload bay. There are some pretty clever internal mechanisms at work here to pull off the unique feature, which is easily one of the highlights. Then there’s the body flap, which, when pushed in, will trigger the landing wheels to pop out. Rotating the top exhaust allows you to adjust the angle of the elevons. While this is certainly a display model, that doesn’t stop LEGO from including some play features, which are located around back with the fuselage. Highlights from the LEGO Space Shuttle Discovery But there’s also the solar arrays flanking the cylindrical body, which pull the look together, complete with its signature mirror and aperture door. The most eye-catching thing, though, on the space telescope is the usage of unique chrome bricks to give Hubble its iconic look. Its design is scaled quite well to match with the Space Shuttle Discovery itself and manages to pack in plenty of details for the size. The Hubble Telescope may not be the centerpiece of the creation, but it certainly feels like a completely standalone build in its own right. Checking out the Hubble TelescopeĪlongside the Space Shuttle Discovery itself, LEGO has included a fitting payload to deploy in your own brick-built diorama. And on the topic of printed bricks, there’s also a new windshield piece up at the cockpit which ties the nosecone together. There’s also a pair of printed NASA tiles that rest on either wing, which are a nice surprise considering the reliance on stickers elsewhere. Most of the curves have been executed about as well as you could ask for from the bricks, and its iconic shape benefits from just how large of a model this is. That aside, most of the set relies on various techniques to hide studs from view, which almost makes it hard to tell we’re talking about a LEGO kit depending on the angle. Across the board, the designers who worked on this build did a really impressive job at recreating the spacecraft out of the usually blocky medium, but there are a few areas where things could be a bit improved, like the hinges on the payload bay doors. Measuring over 21 inches long, its sleek white and black design hides plenty of authentic details throughout. Taking up a majority of the included 2,345 pieces, it’s hard not to notice the sheer size of the LEGO Space Shuttle Discovery. A closer look at the actual Space Shuttle These solidify the kit as a display piece for your NASA or LEGO collection and further accentuate the Space Shuttle Discovery collectible emphasis. You’re, of course, assembling the Space Shuttle Discovery itself, but also its most well-known payload from the original launch, the Hubble Space Telescope.Īnd while Star Wars fans will be accustomed to the practice, builders will find a pair of stands and plaques included to complete the package. Stacking up to 2,354 pieces, the latest addition to the LEGO space collection arrives with plenty of authentic features packed into the over 21-inch long build. After seeing the fan-favorite Saturn IV brought back last fall, builders are now getting yet another iconic piece of the American space program in the form of the Space Shuttle Discovery. The latest addition to the LEGO Group’s collection of space exploration creations enters in celebration of the 40th anniversary and joins a long list of NASA-inspired creations. Hands-on with LEGO’s new Space Shuttle Discovery
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