LEGO Classic Space: 928 is back !!!
LEGO Classic Space
LEGO is 90 years old but fans of the Classic Space theme will celebrate: during the LEGO Con 2022 the set LEGO Icons # 10497 Galactic Explorer was presented, the reinterpretation in a modern key and on a larger scale of one of the most loved sets ever : the 928 Galaxy Explorer!Although all those who love it affectionately call it 928 (from the identification number placed on the sides, LL928), the set of the Galaxy Explorer spaceship was the Legoland Space System 497 set (1979). Also part of the set was a control tower with a buildable radar antenna and two baseplates, one with a print of the landing area and the other reproducing the craters of a lunar-like landscape.
(Credit photo: ThePlastiCaptain @ Flickr)
To celebrate its 90th birthday, LEGO has decided to give a gift to all the now ex-children who have been dreaming of the return of space sets but not deriving from movies, comics, TV series or videogames, or rather inspired by the fantastic sets commonly called Classic Space.
Click here to access the set details
LEGO Icons # 10497 Galactic explorer| id: th_culturapop_d_mh3 "); } What better gift than re-proposing in a modern key, on a larger scale and with greater detail, the most loved spaceship ever? Ladies and gentlemen, here is the Galaxy Explorer!
Let's start with the "name" of the set: in homage to its original version which had code 497, the new set has been assigned the code 10497, so as to underline that this is an actual reinterpretation of the 1979 set. Even the so-called tail number, the much loved LL928 has been carried over to the new set.
The buildable model of the new 928 reproduces and re-proposes in a modern key the mixed wing body of the original spaceship, and like the latter it rests on 3 retractable landing gears (while in the original they were fixed, although obviously they are they could remove for better swooosh effect). Another feature of the original 928 that was reproduced in the new set is the rear hangar to carry an exploration rover with opening doors and a retractable ramp to deploy the rover itself. The cockpit opens to reveal the interior with seating for all 4 astronauts (2 "white" and 2 "red" just like in the original), as well as accommodation with 2 beds, computer and storage compartments. In place of the buildable control tower and the two “lunar” baseplates, we find a nice robot-helper. The lack of the tower and baseplate elements of the original set is largely compensated by the larger size and significantly increased level of detail of the spaceship.
The set is priced at € 99.99 on lego.com and in LEGO (Certified) Store.
What can I say? Also and above all given the price, the purchase of at least 3 copies is inevitable!
Working LEGO Space Computers Are A Chip Off The Old Block
We all have our favorite classic LEGO bricks, and wouldn’t be surprised if one or more of the various space computers showed up on pretty much everyone’s list. [dyoramic] loves them so much that they built two different working versions that do different things.
The first one is about six times the size of the original brick. Inside the 3D printed case is an ESP32 and a 1.5″ OLED display. [dyoramic] wired up the top six buttons as inputs and the rest are just for looks. The screen defaults to the classic white cross on green that just sits there looking legit. But start pushing buttons and you’ll find other modes — the cross becomes a radar screen in one, the computer spits out space facts in another, there’s a falling bricks game, and finally, a time and date screen.
The second LEGO space computer build is even bigger — both were designed around the size of their screens. It has a Raspi 4 and shows a dashboard with the weather, time, date, latest xkcd, and a few cryptocurrency prices. [dyoramic] has an even bigger version in the works that will use a 720 x 720 screen and a handful of brown key switches as inputs. We can’t wait to see that one! For now, check out the build and demo of the first two after the break.
What can’t you do with LEGO? It feels like we’ve seen it all, from cameras to microscopes to continuously variable transmissions. Wouldn’t you love to drive one of those around the block?
