LEGO Creator Expert NASA Space Shuttle Discovery (10283)

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STS-107 the mission that saw the loss of the Shuttle Columbia was a Spacehab mission itself, and the last time the shuttle would have flown with a mounted interior module. All future modules would be ISS equipment being transported to the station or the equipment for the final Hubble Service Mission: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-107

NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is a beautifully fitting tribute to mark the anniversary of the Space Shuttle’s first flight and immortalise one of the most significant moments in space exploration, the launch of the Hubble telescope. For space fans this comes highly, highly recommended. But if space travel isn’t quite your cup of tea, there are other sets out there at the moment that will offer a more enjoyable all-round experience for either the same price, or slightly cheaper. The front and rear gears are connected to one another through a large sub-assembly that runs the entire length of the hull. Pushing into the rear of the Shuttle will cause the landing gear to retract with a beautifully smooth motion. It may have been one of the hardest things to get right, but the designers can be proud of the finished result. Finally, the large Technic panels that make up the payload bay doors are also a new element (part 76798). The panels are 8 studs long and have the same slope as the classic large 1x6x3 1/3 arch. Does anyone know what the deal with this is? Why would it be such a big issue showing this anywhere; it would be pretty lame if this was just an issue with a license-fee. Now, at last, the main affair. We start by laying out the shuttle’s wingspan. Immediately you’ll build the rear landing gear and part of the spring-loaded mechanism that will deploy them. The interior of the shuttle is a multi-colored rainbow to make it easy to keep your place, but it relies most heavily on olive green.Spacelab and the similar Spacehab would be another great aftermarket set mod, which placed a module inside the cargo bay that expanded the interior space available to the shuttle and was used on several free flying missions before the ISS and its lab space was installed. http://media3.s-nbcnews.com/i/streams/2013/December/131202/2D9835101-spacelab-30th-annivesary-1.jpg Each landing gear strut must be returned to their stowed position manually, recalling those on the actual Space Shuttle which could not be retracted after activation. Nevertheless, they slot neatly into position and springs ensure that the landing gear will not be deployed accidentally, despite the omission of folding landing gear covers on the underside. I also asked a coworker, who used to be an Airedale in the US Navy, about this. He didn’t know why they did this, but confirmed that he’d seen it, and also mentioned that sometimes you could see a layer of dark red under the green. That would further suggest this acts as an anti-corrosion coating, if it’s the same shade of red. He also mentioned that the green is a flat paint, so not very reflective, which might also be a consideration. Numerous options for display are available here, facilitated by the versatile stand which slots underneath the Space Shuttle. Despite its comparatively small footprint, this is ideally located beneath the centre of gravity and feels completely stable. Moreover, I think this angled design looks beautiful, conveying an appealing impression of movement which is welcome.

Shortly after launch, it was discovered that the Hubble Space Telescope's primary mirror had been polished to the wrong shape. Thankfully, this mistake was corrected using the COSTAR system which was installed during 1993. This rendition of the telescope includes a removable section to represent that famous repair and the resultant void cleverly connects the telescope with its aforementioned deployment display stand. The satellite is protected by reflective thermal blankets that are represented by metallic silver drum-lacquered elements here. The entire set includes 108 such pieces and they look superb, effectively recreating the actual colour. Moreover, the cylindrical shape of the aperture housing and seems realistic and I appreciate the inclusion of yellow braces on either side, even though these are perhaps too prominent.NASA Space Shuttle Discovery combines these important aspects of LEGO design, achieving impressive authenticity and incorporating various functions. Additionally, the scale has increased considerably following previous Space Shuttle designs, reaching 54cm in length and therefore integrating greater detail than before. Box and Contents Together, you can recreate the highlight of STS-31, with the ground-breaking space telescope first being placed into orbit. The building experience is a little hit and miss, though. The build for Hubble is simply joyous from start to finish, while the Space Shuttle starts off strong, but towards the end gets a little repetitive. It’s a minor negative as the finished model looks excellent, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you are on the fence about this set, or are deciding between this and another in a similar price range.

Golden solar arrays are connected to the telescope, taking inspiration from the flexible panels which originally provided power. Recreating the solar panels using plastic sheets has certainly proven effective and the slender stanchions around the edges appear relatively inconspicuous. The deployable communication antennas appear similarly authentic, in either their retracted or active positions.The new LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery, which was developed in collaboration with NASA, is a complex 2,354 piece build that pays homage to this pioneering moment in space history and marks the 40th anniversary since the first Space Shuttle flight on 12th of April 1981. The set, aimed at adults, features the Discovery orbiter with functional landing gear, payload bay doors, elevons and rudder; and the famous Hubble Space Telescope, which can either be folded and contained within the payload bay or expanded with solar array and displayed separately. Both also come with a display plaque which features key data from the mission. Another discreet mechanism is situated between the engines and the payload bay, controlling the elevons. While the aforementioned landing gear linkage is hidden in plain sight, these dark bluish grey linkages will be completely hidden when construction is complete. The engine base is interesting as well, featuring several connected sections which create an authentic shape. The outermost layer of white bodywork then covers the internal structure, creating beautifully smooth shapes which appear realistic. Additionally, the connected landing gear mechanism is ingeniously disguised inside the payload bay. This space is quite substantial but necessary for the telescope, hence the forward and rear landing gear are inconspicuously linked through the floor.