posted 08-09-2017 04:36 AM
I thought Lego was discontinuing any related space shuttle productions after the program came an end in 2011; also, is this item considered a limited time offer, i.e. not sold in stores?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-09-2017 05:06 AM
As mentioned in the article, this is a LEGO Ideas project; it is not yet a set selected for production. But in general, sets that emerge from the LEGO Ideas website are sold in stores but are of a limited production run.
As far as the space shuttle as a theme, since the end of the program, LEGO has released at least three different sets based on the orbiter. The most recent, part of its Creator 3-in-1 line, is still on store shelves now.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-30-2017 08:33 AM
The NASA Space Shuttle (Saturn V Scale) has qualified for the next LEGO Review (beginning in September), having received 10,000 votes.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
Fan-designed LEGO models of NASA's Saturn V launch tower and a space shuttle scaled to match the towering moon rocket are now under review to possibly become official LEGO toy sets.
The "NASA Saturn-V Launch Umbilical Tower," created by Valerie Roche and Emmanuel Urquieta, from Paris, France and Houston, Texas, and "NASA Space Shuttle (Saturn V Scale)" by Andrew Harkins from Burbank, California, each gathered 10,000 supporters on the LEGO Ideas website, qualifying the projects for the toy company's review.
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 499 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted 09-08-2017 06:24 PM
What are the chances of these items being selected by Lego?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-08-2017 06:48 PM
There is really no telling. Reportedly, the popularity and success of the Saturn V surprised LEGO, outperforming their expectations. Both of these models play off the Saturn V and both achieved 10,000 supporters in quick fashion.
If I had to guess, I would think the space shuttle has a slight edge, as from a playability viewpoint, it is more of a standalone set. And, by the time the shuttle would be ready for release, it will be about a decade since LEGO released its prior full stack space shuttle (and it would be right around the time the California Science Center will be debuting the full stack display of space shuttle Endeavour).
cspg Member
Posts: 6376 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
posted 09-09-2017 02:43 AM
Maybe, and really just maybe, declining sales in the U.S. and Europe and recently announced 8% job cut will push LEGO into producing sets that have a bigger chance of selling well, like the Apollo set Robert mentioned.
PeterO Member
Posts: 460 From: North Carolina Registered: Mar 2002
posted 09-09-2017 01:32 PM
Being an AFoL (Adult Fan of LEGO), and having watched LEGO trends for years, here are my thoughts.
The Shuttle has a decent chance. It's riding on the success of the Saturn V, it's the same scale, and it's been many years since the last large-scale, full-stack Shuttle that LEGO made.
However, much as I'd love a LUT for my Saturn, I think it has little chance, because it cannot stand on its own merits as a separate set. Certainly LEGO makes themes of sets, but each set in a theme stands on its own as a separate set, without requiring a customer to buy anything else in the theme. The LUT fails that test, since it needs the Saturn V to complete it. As such, it will only appeal to a subset of Saturn V builders. My gut guess is that only 10% of Saturn buyers would spend another few hundred dollars on the LUT.
Having said that, I fervently hope I'm wrong!
cspg Member
Posts: 6376 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
posted 09-18-2017 09:11 AM
quote:Originally posted by PeterO: However, much as I'd love a LUT for my Saturn, I think it has little chance, because it cannot stand on its own merits as a separate set.
I agree. However LEGO can reissue the Saturn V with the LUT for the upcoming 50th anniversaries of Apollo 8 and 11. My two cents.
And LEGO could also add a MLP while we're at it.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-18-2017 10:07 AM
The LUT, as proposed, includes the MLP. I think you mean the crawler transporter?
As wonderful a set as that might be (the Saturn V, LUT and crawler) it would likely be far too many pieces and too high a price point for a LEGO Ideas set. With just the Saturn V and the LUT, it is already more than 3,000 pieces...
posted 09-18-2017 10:19 AM
Too many pieces? Lego sets are becoming progressively bigger. Check out this Millennium Falcon kit: 7,500 pieces and $800. I could definitely see a Saturn V/LUT/crawler kit for a significant flight anniversary.
cspg Member
Posts: 6376 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
posted 09-18-2017 10:41 AM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: The LUT, as proposed, includes the MLP. I think you mean the crawler transporter?
Oops, I forgot that the LUT is on the MLP (oh well). But the crawler would be a nice addition.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-18-2017 10:56 AM
quote:Originally posted by ELinder: Check out this Millennium Falcon kit: 7,500 pieces and $800.
That kit is part of LEGO's main line of products, not LEGO Ideas, which the company holds separate and to different rules.
Don't get me wrong; I agree that an anniversary set would be great, but thus far, no LEGO Ideas sets have crossed over into the main line, not have any been reissued. Of course that could change, but it would be a departure for LEGO Ideas.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
LEGO won't be launching a fan's model of the space shuttle, nor will it be offering a launch pad for its popular Saturn V rocket set after rejecting both during a recent review.
The toy company on Monday (Jan. 22) announced it was passing on the space-themed projects as it reported on its review of sets that recruited 10,000 votes of support on the LEGO Ideas website between May and September 2017.
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 499 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted 01-22-2018 03:13 PM
This really sucks...
SpaceyInMN Member
Posts: 367 From: Andover, MN Registered: Dec 2013
posted 01-22-2018 07:30 PM
I'm not terribly surprised that the launch umbilical tower didn't pass review. As cool as it is, it really doesn't work as a standalone set, and the amount of people who would buy it would be a small fraction of those who bought the Saturn V, I would imagine.
I am somewhat disappointed that the shuttle didn't get approved, though. It would seem that with the apparent success of the Saturn V, the shuttle would have been fairly likely to pass, but perhaps Lego already had something of their own in the works. I guess time will tell.
Personally, I'd rather see other MGA launch vehicles than the shuttle, but I still would have bought the shuttle had it gone into production.
cspg Member
Posts: 6376 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
posted 01-23-2018 04:16 AM
quote:Originally posted by SpaceAngel: This really sucks...
Multiplied by 10,000+ LEGO customers...
And I wonder how many Millenium Falcon at $800 a piece LEGO will sell — to rule out pricing as a decision not to go with the shuttle.
sev8n Member
Posts: 266 From: Dallas TX USA Registered: Jul 2012
posted 01-26-2018 08:39 PM
Now that Lego has said no, are the original designers allowed to release their original plans and parts lists? Or does Lego own the rights to those designs as a condition of their submission for consideration?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-26-2018 09:15 PM
Per LEGO Ideas' rules, users may share photos and building instructions, so long as they are provided free of charge.
(Once a project is posted to LEGO Ideas, LEGO owns all rights to the user's content, but extends a limited, revocable license to the user for non-commercial uses.)
garyd2831 Member
Posts: 641 From: Syracuse, New York, USA Registered: Oct 2009
posted 01-27-2018 07:35 AM
Can someone produce a "knock-off" LEGO type kit?
The reason I ask is that there appears to be a Chinese based company that did for the Saturn V and was selling them around a $120 on eBay. Just a thought, not suggesting copyright infringement issues.
PeterO Member
Posts: 460 From: North Carolina Registered: Mar 2002
posted 01-27-2018 07:48 AM
quote:Originally posted by sev8n: Now that Lego has said no, are the original designers allowed to release their original plans and parts lists?
The designer of the LUT submission has said that she would post building instructions if the project was not approved.
sev8n Member
Posts: 266 From: Dallas TX USA Registered: Jul 2012
Two different takes on a SpaceX rocket and a second try at the space station have made it into LEGO's latest review of fan-proposed toy sets.
Monday (Sept. 3) marked the deadline for projects on the LEGO Ideas website to receive 10,000 votes, qualifying them to be part of the second production review of the year.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-18-2019 08:29 AM
LEGO has passed on producing either of the two SpaceX-themed projects and, for the second time, the International Space Station, as part of its second 2018 review.
The next review, for projects that reached 10,000 supporters between September 2018 and early January 2019, does not include any space-themed ideas.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-02-2019 12:06 PM
Two space exploration-themed projects have qualified for the second LEGO Ideas review period of 2019 that ended on Monday (Sept. 2).
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-26-2019 09:14 AM
LEGO passed on producing the "SpaceX BFR / Starship & Super Heavy" with its first 2019 LEGO Ideas review.
The next review results will be announced in January 2020.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-12-2020 10:39 AM
LEGO passed on the "UCS Space Shuttle Atlantis" and "Nasa Spacecraft" with its second 2019 LEGO Ideas review.
No space exploration-themed projects qualified for the third review coming this summer. Two projects, though, have achieved support and will be part of the first review in 2020:
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-30-2020 08:43 AM
LEGO has released the results of its first review of 2020 and has passed on making the three space-themed sets that were up for consideration (Mini-fig Scale Project Gemini, SpaceX Falcon 9 [Saturn V Scale] and Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket, Launch Tower & Blue Moon Lander - 1/110 Scale Set).
Instead, LEGO chose Earth Globe by Guillaume Roussel.
The Earth Globe is iconic right off the bat and comes with many fascinating opportunities from educational possibilities to retro display value. In addition, it's a complex and unique build that's never before seen in an official LEGO set.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-03-2021 11:23 AM
Of the 57 (!) product ideas that hit the 10,000 supporter milestone between January 2021 and today's review qualification date, May 3, three space exploration-themed projects qualified for the first LEGO Ideas 2021 review:
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-06-2021 11:06 AM
Of the 34 product ideas that reached the 10,000 supporter milestone between early May 2021 and today's review qualification date, Sept. 6, just one space exploration-themed project qualified for the second LEGO Ideas 2021 review:
Also of mention, the Women of Computing set by Maia Weinstock (20tauri), creator of the Women at NASA set, also qualified for the review and includes Gladys West, who is best known for her work in developing the Global Positioning System (GPS), and Annie Easley, who began work at NASA as a human computer and is best known for the software she contributed to Centaur upper stage.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-15-2021 12:46 PM
LEGO has released the results of its first review of 2021 and has passed on making the three space-themed sets that up for consideration (NASA's SLS & Artemis, SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy (BFR) and LEGO Astronaut).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-10-2022 11:35 AM
Of the 36 product ideas that reached the 10,000 supporter milestone between early September 2021 and today's review qualification date, Jan. 10, 2022 four space exploration-themed project qualified for the third LEGO Ideas 2021 review:
posted 01-10-2022 06:54 PM
I wonder if the SR-71 will make final approval with its military applications? They have a no military hardware policy (which somehow led to the V22 Osprey kit getting recalled after release).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-10-2022 08:12 PM
My guess is that it might not even come down to that, although a good point.
As a toy, the set has limited playability and as a model, there are few details that would make it an interesting build. Add that to the fact that it would be almost entirely one-color set, and I think the LEGO review panel would have enough reasons to pass.
If I had to guess, the clockwork solar system might have the best chances, if the piece count isn't too high. The James Webb Space Telescope could also be a contender for its timeliness, but it has competition from some of the non-space-themed sets also under review.
Philip Member
Posts: 6284 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
posted 01-21-2022 07:32 AM
Soyuz launch vehicle at the same scale as the well-known LEGO Saturn V?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53503 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-22-2022 09:23 AM
LEGO has released the results of its second review of 2021 and has passed on the one space-themed set that was up for consideration (Outer Solar System Explorers), as well as Maia Weinstock's Women of Computing set (as mentioned upthread).
GoesTo11 Member
Posts: 1377 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 2004
posted 02-22-2022 11:56 AM
I really had my fingers x'd for that "Explorers" set.
lspooz Member
Posts: 488 From: Greensboro, NC USA Registered: Aug 2012
posted 02-22-2022 12:09 PM
I still hope for the JWST!!
posted 08-09-2017 04:36 AM
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