42221 NASA Artemis SLS Heavy Lift Rocket

[2GodBDGlory]

On 12/2/2025 at 9:09 AM, msk6003 said:

Screw holder maybe 2x5x1 in white

Hooray! When I saw the set was using those screws, I hoped for a Technic-compatible nut! That's great, and should make using those parts a lot more convenient

[gyenesvi]

On 12/2/2025 at 1:55 PM, Maaboo the Witch said:

Dark Orange, according to Brickset.

On 12/2/2025 at 3:09 PM, msk6003 said:

32524 liftarm 1x7 in dark orange

24119 panel curved 7x3 in dark orange

4742 cone 4x4x2 with hollow in dark orange

It seems to me that previous space sets used reddish orange color (same as G-class). So is this actually different (dark orange exists and is a different color), or is this maybe just a misnomer by Brickset?

 

 

[Lipko]

1 hour ago, gyenesvi said:

Which is the part that you guys think should look better, and could be improved? My feeling is that this models is exactly meant to be a kinetic sculpture, so the emphasis is more on the mechanics than the looks. Also, I think the key visual part that could in theory look better is the main rocket itself, if it was built from system pieces. The side rockets and the nose is already built from system parts, and the base could be covered with tiles but it would not make a big difference. Now I think the reason they decided to make the rocket body technic, is because the back of it cannot be covered anyway, due to the mechanism itself being there. Hence, technic curved panels make more sense there to leave the other half kind of open and to be able to attach it in a more stable way to the liftoff mechanics. So I kind of like it for the mechanics.

Question: which orange color is this? Same as previous space sets? Is this the same color as the G-class? Is this called dark orange?

This function is a gag, and I simply feel this gag alone is not enough to justify the existence of this model. This is the single function and is not really engaging/possible to play with it more than actuating once. No point in looping it (like a galopping horse, or butterfly flapping its wings). And it doesn't look good. Compare it to some of Nico's kinetic sculptures.

[Timorzelorzworz]

It is dark orange in this model, earth orange called in Ldraw #D86D2C

A darker shade than 2024 space and G500 reddish orange. So Technic introduces a darker (and very similar) shade in the third year of space Technic. Everyone can decide for themselves why that is. There's no logic in Lego anymore.

Edited December 3, 2025 by Timorzelorzworz

[Stereo]

1 hour ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

Everyone can decide for themselves why that is.

Because the model represents a real fuel tank, which is really that colour, that's my opinion.

[Timorzelorzworz]

Could easily be made with reddish orange as well and with parts that already exists in that color. 

[gyenesvi]

3 hours ago, Lipko said:

This function is a gag, and I simply feel this gag alone is not enough to justify the existence of this model. This is the single function and is not really engaging/possible to play with it more than actuating once. No point in looping it (like a galopping horse, or butterfly flapping its wings). And it doesn't look good. Compare it to some of Nico's kinetic sculptures.

While I agree with you that the function is not much, and it's not really playable (kind of like a display piece that you can show off to people who hasn't seen it yet), I'd say it doesn't seem like a trivial mechanism, due to the timing of the three stages. Also, it introduces parts that make this possible, so it will probably be useful for other delayed/timed mechanisms like this. Because of this, I'd say it makes sense to make the set.

3 hours ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

A darker shade than 2024 space and G500 reddish orange.

That's a bummer. The curved 3x7 panel does not exist in reddish orange I think, and it would have been nice to have. I don't really see why the reddish orange would not have been good enough for this, even if there's a bit of shade difference to the real thing.

[Timorzelorzworz]

51 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

The curved 3x7 panel does not exist in reddish orange I think, and it would have been nice to have

I agree with you. It would be easier and more welcome to extend the reddish orange parts palette with this model. Lego is not listening to fans, so we get another shade of orange - hurra. It's pointless to get upset about it. In summary, yet another useless model that does not allow parts to be reused. Fans would surely have been very happy about the 3x7 Panel in reddish orange.

Edited December 3, 2025 by Timorzelorzworz

[Bartybum]

6 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

I'd say it doesn't seem like a trivial mechanism, due to the timing of the three stages. Also, it introduces parts that make this possible, so it will probably be useful for other delayed/timed mechanisms like this.

The mechanisms are pretty trivial here. The boosters are held by arms that swing out when their guide rail/track curves away from the main tower. The Orion vehicle is lifted away by a forklift chain/rope mechanism that goes taut at a certain point. Nothing particularly complex here, but the end result is quite neat.

I think there's a market worth exploring for well designed Technic kinetic sculptures. We got the Forma fish back in 2019 (although that set's motion was terribly designed and it ended up looking like it just flopped around). I think there's a decent number of things you can create mechanisms of - a clock with a 3-axis tourbillon, a galloping horse, a heap of different swimming marine animals, a million different GBC modules, the list goes on. Laser cut plywood kits are getting more and more advanced mechanisms (UGEARS has a 3-axis tourbillon clock tower), and I think Lego is in an extremely advantageous market position since it allows for a faster design process, and more consistent build quality.

Edited December 4, 2025 by Bartybum

[howitzer]

14 hours ago, Bartybum said:

The mechanisms are pretty trivial here. The boosters are held by arms that swing out when their guide rail/track curves away from the main tower. The Orion vehicle is lifted away by a forklift chain/rope mechanism that goes taut at a certain point. Nothing particularly complex here, but the end result is quite neat.

I think there's a market worth exploring for well designed Technic kinetic sculptures. We got the Forma fish back in 2019 (although that set's motion was terribly designed and it ended up looking like it just flopped around). I think there's a decent number of things you can create mechanisms of - a clock with a 3-axis tourbillon, a galloping horse, a heap of different swimming marine animals, a million different GBC modules, the list goes on. Laser cut plywood kits are getting more and more advanced mechanisms (UGEARS has a 3-axis tourbillon clock tower), and I think Lego is in an extremely advantageous market position since it allows for a faster design process, and more consistent build quality.

That's a great point about laser cut plywood kits, the complex ones aren't that cheap either though probably still not as expensive as an equivalent Lego set would be. But the same is true for most other toys too as they don't have the part reusability of Lego, so I don't think would be a problem at all. I hope TLG explores this direction more with more complex mechanisms.

[Auroralampinen]

14 hours ago, Bartybum said:

 a galloping horse.

Here is the galloping functions set for you:). 

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/galloping-horses-canvas-80119

[Bartybum]

9 hours ago, howitzer said:

That's a great point about laser cut plywood kits, the complex ones aren't that cheap either though probably still not as expensive as an equivalent Lego set would be. But the same is true for most other toys too as they don't have the part reusability of Lego, so I don't think would be a problem at all. I hope TLG explores this direction more with more complex mechanisms.

Hahah glad I'm not the only one who thinks this. I recently finished UGEARS' 3-axis tourbillon clock tower and my god it's a technical MASTERPIECE, but dear lord how much easier it would have been to build using Lego pieces THAT YOU CAN TAKE APART IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE. If Lego had one with multiple pullback motors in parallel they could make something absolutely fantastic.

9 hours ago, Auroralampinen said:

Here is the galloping functions set for you:). 

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/galloping-horses-canvas-80119

While that is definitely cool, I'm talking more like this: 

 

[Jundis]

Mesmerizing!

What a fluent motion, especially the rocking of the head in combination with body. 

[Timewhatistime]

Does anyone have a clue why there is a relatively complex gear box in the base?

Especially the double row of grey 16 t gears and red 16 t idle seems odd to me. There could be a ratchet mechanism that prevents the rocket from "falling down" - but I don't believe it is so heavy to turn back the worm gear.

Another purpose of the gear box could be to provide only one single rotating direction - but I'm pretty sure that backward rotation is needed to land the rocket.

Edited December 7, 2025 by Timewhatistime

[Bartybum]

5 hours ago, Timewhatistime said:

Does anyone have a clue why there is a relatively complex gear box in the base?

Especially the double row of grey 16 t gears and red 16 t idle seems odd to me. There could be a ratchet mechanism that prevents the rocket from "falling down" - but I don't believe it is so heavy to turn back the worm gear.

Another purpose of the gear box could be to provide only one single rotating direction - but I'm pretty sure that backward rotation is needed to land the rocket.

Racingbrick said it was to simulate the rocket exhaust sound

[Timewhatistime]

15 hours ago, Bartybum said:

Racingbrick said it was to simulate the rocket exhaust sound

Thank you very much.

This is an answer I never had thought of. I'm not sure if the sound of a rocket is click-click-click.

I have to admit that I've never heard a starting rocket, but I doubt that this sound will add any "realistic" experience.

However, at least it is a somewhat "new" function, and a rocket is not just another display car. 

[gyenesvi]

16 minutes ago, Timewhatistime said:

This is an answer I never had thought of. I'm not sure if the sound of a rocket is click-click-click.

And what makes you think that it will make a simple click sound? That would be weird. I expect they have incorporated something more realistic with some creative part usage.. Probably it's better to wait for reviews than jumping onto early conclusions.

[Timewhatistime]

42 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

And what makes you think that it will make a simple click sound? That would be weird. I expect they have incorporated something more realistic with some creative part usage.. Probably it's better to wait for reviews than jumping onto early conclusions.

Apart from some decades of experience in building  with Lego Technic, this video makes me think that it will make a simple click sound.

Moreover, this video just doesn't make me think that it will make a simple click sound - it shows that the rocket really does a simple click sound!

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/AQ-GxBQ0d5o

Edited December 8, 2025 by Timewhatistime

[gyenesvi]

42 minutes ago, Timewhatistime said:

Apart from some decades of experience in building  with Lego Technic, this video makes me think that it will make a simple click sound.

Moreover, this video just doesn't make me think that it will make a simple click sound - it shows that the rocket really does a simple click sound!

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/AQ-GxBQ0d5o

I saw that clip and watched it again, but it's so noisy that I'm not hearing what's coming from the mechanism and what's background noise. I don't really hear the clicking sound itself. Anyways, I guess in the end it could be just some simple clicking, like a bunch of gears against some other stationary parts, or it could be something like a deeper rattling sound, something larger and more flexible than a gear. But maybe it's indeed just the first, based on the images..

[Bartybum]

6 hours ago, Timewhatistime said:

I have to admit that I've never heard a starting rocket, but I doubt that this sound will add any "realistic" experience.

I mean, it's going to be a bit difficult to realistically replicate a broadband spectrum of shockwaves :

Clicking gears are the best thing we can do that doesn't involve an expensive (and imo pointless) sound brick. I think the clicking gears are a fun little solution.

Edited December 8, 2025 by Bartybum

[Timewhatistime]

On 12/9/2025 at 12:44 AM, Bartybum said:

Clicking gears are the best thing we can do that doesn't involve an expensive (and imo pointless) sound brick. I think the clicking gears are a fun little solution.

Oh yes, even some good old-fashioned clicking gears are way better than a sound brick.

[Bartybum]

8 hours ago, Timewhatistime said:

Oh yes, even some good old-fashioned clicking gears are way better than a sound brick.

I'll happily admit that it's subjective, but I value mechanical creativity far more than electronics (e.g. I prefer gearboxes to use stepper mechanisms rather than servo motors), especially if it gives me more pieces to reuse later

Edited December 10, 2025 by Bartybum

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Hi everyone, this is me getting my job back from RacingBrick 

 

[SNIPE]

Black 9L thin beam from the orient express
I like how the new cylinder part is actually the same diameter as a 2x2 round plate/brick, the bent version of it (both the older and new variant) are slightly smaller in diameter than a 2x2 round plate/brick

[allanp]

Looks very good given it's a space rocket. There really aren't many mechanical functions that can be replicated in a rocket so the designer did a great job creating innovative functions for this model. Regarding @kbalagereview, I'm usually first to mention any lack of realism but how can anyone expect the boosters and the final stage to separate at a realistic altitude?! That's beyond even me .

My only real complaint would be the sound. I'm glad they went for a mechanical approach instead of a sound brick and as it is it's still a nice addition. But I think a better way might have been something like a tumbling barrel of small pieces. I think that would create a more continuous rumble/white noise sound that is closer to the roar of a rocket engine than clicking gears. TBH I couldn't really hear it in Balage's video so maybe it sounds better than I'm imaging it does. But it's a small complaint and I wouldn't have even thought to create the mechanical sound feature in the first place!

Overall, given the limitations of the subject matter, I think the designer did a great job