When I looked at 60343 Space Base and rocket Launchpad last week, I felt it was a fantastic set, with a lot to offer: A base, crane, rover and space craft, all in the one box. Just what you need to start a moon colony. But at $USD135/$AUD250, its a bit of a tall ask. Especially if you have already invested in a few of the other spacecraft this year. This set brings us a small base only for a much more palatable $USD35/$AUD70. Not only that: it can be used to extend the base in the larger set. But does it contain enough to get going with the play action? Let’s take a look

This set was provided by the LEGO Group for review purposes, all opinions are my own.

Elements

The set comes with 560 elements – great value for money in the USA/UK, less so in Australia – As with all sets in the range, the majority of the elements are white, black and grey, with the new reddish orange and sand blue providing the trim. Of interest in this set are the four if the 6×6 module quarter domme elements, this time in the newish transparent black colour. As we look at more and more of these sets, it is increasingly exciting to see the intinted windows get recoloured. We have 3 of the docking ring elememt, which allows the the feature c

Minifigures

There are three minifigures in this set, well two minifigures and one alien. I am grateful that this set was released slightly later than the others, as the roles and seniority of different uniform colours has already been made clear. As such it felt a little weird to see the pilot of the interstellar spacecraft, with her silver constellation tattoo appear in the lab – dark colours indicate seniority, while figures with blue shades of uniform are pilots/drivers.

Our scientist (bright green) is depicted in the packaging in a wheelchair. We. The chair is able to fit through a 4 module wide door – hopefully the lab is appropriately accessible… He has reddish brown sideburns.

The alien mixes up the body of the dreamlings figures from DREAMZZz with the previously seen head of the alien. Apparently, several limbs have been stuffed down sleeves and legs, as they dont traditionally match human appearances. It is equipped with a spacesuit, featuring the space logo, and a helmet, which is only really necessary when inside, as the human’s air is unbreathable for this species!

This is the third ‘Space man like’ Dreamling – the previous ones seen are the Chimpanzee Einstein seen in 71460 and 71475. The standard space helmet does make the face easier to photograph well.

Putting it together

The model comes in 4 bags – each back builds a wall, and maybe something else: let’s take a look.

We start off building a hover bike. Hoverever, unlike the one seen in polybag 30663 Space Hoverbike, this one is a little shorter and is able to be driven by a pilot in a wheelchair: the small ramp at the back makes it accessible, and the screen it easier to use the the joystick seen in the polybag set. There are a few other differences compared with the polybag: just enough to make it really interesting.

We follow up with the main entrance to the base. Like the 60434 Space Bace and Rocket Launchpad, there is a large forboding black and greay striped door which can be slid up and down. Some carefully places 2x2x2/3 cirved slopes ensure that this entry is indeed accessible by wheelchair. The ubiquitous Space logo as well as the bpurple energy cells are mounted on the external wall. I should mention the 6×6 dome elements, clipped onto the top of each of the wall modules, giving the inside of the lab a little height. As a result, the building feels less claustrophbic than the 60434.

On the inside, the labe has a communications screen as well as a data panel, revealing data about the local flora. Angled plates on the floor hint as to how it might all fit together, as do the clipsto bee see at the far ends. As with the other spacebase, we have sand blue highlights on the roof, as well as a layer of the new for 2024 Reddish orange along the base.

We move on to build a smaller wall panel. This one has a hatch over the reddish orange linkage element There is very little other detail on the wall element on the inside – which is good, as there is a local ‘Tree’ in the middle. It may well be a rock formation, with plants growing from it.

The ‘tree clips into a brick with vertival bars which is present just inside the hatchway. The radar dish on top forms the central seal on the roof.

If we are going to have all of these space explorers living together, we had best give them places to live: here we have sleep quarters, a shower as well as a kitchenette. Just perfect for picking up your spacecoffee in the morning. The external side is pretty dull, although the feature window ensures you get a great view of the planet.

The bed has a panel at the base, which is very accomodating to our friends. The ring next top the bed is, I imagine, to facilitate transfers from the space-bed to the wheelchair, and back. Otherwise it is for hanging tea towels on. (Not included). There is a TV at the end of the bed, to allow a little entertainment before heading back onto the next shift. I am left wondering about the practicality of the shower.

The final wall brings us another wayy with a linkage ring, but no hatch. Instead, we build in a parking bay and charging station for the hoverbike. I love the way the parking bay is removable: you can shift it around, or insert a module from one of the other sets in between to expand the base….More on that shortly. On the inside of this wall there is a

The Finished Product

We join the panels together using the clip and bar technique that has become so important for many modular style builds – especially vehicles – appearing across the LEGO Range these days. This is a very fir connection. To allow opening up the model, a looser connection is provided between the main entrance and the charging station.

Here is the completed lab, both open and closed:

A Module from the Space station, Command rover or Space base can be placed to allow the lab to join the main base:

Likewise, we can expand a laboratory or corridor down towards the parking bay.

Final Thoughts

This set works best when used l to expand the existing building component of 60434 Space Base. The expanded base has significantly more functionality than the single building – and the addition of an additional lab along with some living quarters adds a degree of additional realism to the complex.

But it has sufficient content to stand well on its own, particularly if you already own a vehicle or two from the 2024 Space range. To say nothing of the preferable price tag over 60434.

It does feel a little odd to me that the senior pilot from the 60430 Interstellar spaceship is present in this set. I was a little surprised to see the alien dressed in the space suit – if only so he can survive inside the lab. Their previous representations had implied a relatively low level of individual sophistication in the aliens.

Overall, I quite like this set: there is an appropriate level of detail, as well its ability to integrate with the other sets in the Space range featuring the link unit.

However, on its own, I am a bit disappointed by the minifigure accessories. The wheelchair is terrific, and the lab is appropriately accessible – but some might suggest a little impractical in the exploration sense, despite the adapted hoverbike: I would then refer them to the character Dom Vriess in Alien Resurrection. It might not be the strongest film in the franchise, but it did contribute to some greater representation of disability in cinema. However, beyond the coffee cup, and some jewels to break off the central rock structure there is prescious little beyond a game of Ring toss and advanced fallen flower arrangement. It would have been useful to ensure there were some tools to allow repairs to the wheelchair or hover bike, or maybe even a metal detector type scanner or camera.

I do feel it is still slightly overpriced in most of the world, but perhaps it is the North American Price which is significantly more palatable at $USD34.99,$CAD44.99 compared to AUD69.99; €39.99 and £34.99. I am happy to give it 3.5 Arbitrary Praise units.

But, I would love to know your thoughts about this set. Why don’t you leave your comments below.

You can keep up to date with the Rambling Brick on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr (or just sign up for our mailing list) and find some extra content on Instagram and TikTok. And feel free to share this post with anyone who might be interested…

Until Next Time,

Play Well!