42221 NASA Artemis SLS Heavy Lift Rocket

[kbalage]

Tbh the sound is the normal clicking noise of a gear, not too loud but definitely audible. kind of challenging to capture on camera.

[Timorzelorzworz]

It's nice to see something new. I didn't know the 9L thin liftarm existed. This is a really cool Set. 

[Bartybum]

5 hours ago, allanp said:

But I think a better way might have been something like a tumbling barrel of small pieces.

Ooooh now that's a really neat solution!

[Auroralampinen]

Here is the brickset review :). 

https://brickset.com/article/127611/review-42221-nasa-artemis-space-launch-system-rocket

[gyenesvi]

14 hours ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

It's nice to see something new. I didn't know the 9L thin liftarm existed. This is a really cool Set. 

It's not exactly a 9L thin liftarm, it's more like a link, it only has 3 pinholes, two on the ends, and one in the middle. And as far as I remember, the material is softer, the piece can bend quite easily.

[Timewhatistime]

We are all happy that this is not just another car with "real-life" functions (like steering without turning steering wheel, or one-wheel-driven fake engine).

However, I am poorly convinced that the clicking-function was intentionally designed.

To me, it rather seems to be an unavoidable side-effect which is necessary to prevent the rocket from going down when the crank is unhanded during the rocket's take-off (due to the steep worm gears).

I confess, the mechanism is quite clever in its sensitivity to the sense of rotation. Surely, it is better than a ratchet mechanisms which would have to be operated manually.

So the designer implemented a friction loaded idle wheel as a brake which is active only while rotating in the "take-off direction". It clicks... yes. But this clicking isn't a function for its own.

Edited December 17, 2025 by Timewhatistime

[SNIPE]

19 minutes ago, Timewhatistime said:

We are all happy that this is not just another car with "real-life" functions (like steering without turning steering wheel, or one-wheel-driven fake engine).

However, I am poorly convinced that the clicking-function was intentionally designed.

To me, it rather seems to be an unavoidable side-effect which is necessary to prevent the rocket from going down when the crank is unhanded during the rocket's take-off (due to the steep worm gears).

I confess, the mechanism is quite clever in its sensitivity to the sense of rotation. Surely, it is better than a ratchet mechanisms which would have to be operated manually.

So the designer implemented a friction loaded idle wheel as a brake which is active only while rotating in the "take-off direction". It clicks... yes. But this clicking isn't a function for its own.

Yes, this idea is also used in set 9396's gearbox to ensure that the blades only spin in one direction no matter what direction the motor is going it, because the other functions need to be bi-directional.

Smart solution and super compact.

I have also seen a simular idea used but where the gear swings between 2 seperate gear trains, think of it like a rotational based junction to select between gear trains A or B

Edited December 17, 2025 by SNIPE

[Timewhatistime]

9 minutes ago, SNIPE said:

Yes, this idea is also used in set 9396's gearbox to ensure that the blades only spin in one direction no matter what direction the motor is going it, because the other functions need to be bi-directional.

Smart solution and super compact.

It was not exactly this purpose, but you are right, it was similar to the Artemis' mechanism.

Be it in a rocket or in a helicopter, nobody would have mentioned the unavoidable clicking as a "function" or somehow "realistic".

Edited December 17, 2025 by Timewhatistime

[Auroralampinen]

Here is the sariel's review of the 42221:). 

 

[anomalocaris92]

After two months and maybe 30 lift-offs, my set has stopped working smoothly (though it never really worked smoothly to begin with). The string produces way too much friction; every time I played with it, the set seemed like it wanted to pull itself apart, and now it has started to halt entirely, especially during the "descent". 

Frustrated, I disassembled it only to find the CV joint basically grated. This is the first time I’ve seen something like this in 30 years of building. Quite disappointed by LEGO’s standards lately. Honestly, this set is poorly engineered; the structural alignment relies on long axles that come out of the box already bent.

On top of that, the string is too thick for the 49283 pulley (at least in my set). The "crankshaft" that transmits power to the "gearbox" is held by a 32013 that relies only on a blue 43093 pin, which basically comes off after five lift-offs. Has LEGO stopped giving sets to children to evaluate if they actually stay together after some play?

[JunkstyleGio]

@anomalocaris92 That is quite the list of problems you are discribing. 

Could you make some pictures of "the probleme areas"?

And about the "testing": I do not think that Lego test new products in a extended period. Models like these should be tested "out of company", on durability and not by collegues who are biased with company rules.

"We of Lego advice Lego..."