The Classic Space series was the first and longest running in the
Lego Space theme.
It ran from
1978 to
1990 and consist of a vast array of 74 unique sets (although there are value packs and baseplates to add
even to that figure). It is worth noting that at the time, this was just called 'Space'.
Nobody called these sets
Classic Space in the 1970s and 80s.
Until, in 1987, the
Lego Space theme spawned
Futuron and
Blacktron there was nothing else.
'Classic Space', therefore, is like '
Classic Coke'. Until an alternative came along there was no need for the 'classic'.
Now though, "Classic Space" is the common term for those early sets.
There seemed to be a strong theme of rockets in the Classic Space series. The Rocket Launcher (set # 462),
Alpha-1 Rocket Base (483) and Lunar Rocket Launcher (6881) all featured the same kind of 'rocket'
(which was really a bit small to be anything other than a missile). Fortunately, children in the 70s and 80s
were still able to play with unrealistic toys. Their imaginations allowed them to pretend that they were
launching, for example, Apollo 11 without worrying about errors of scale.
The uniforms of the astronauts which came with these sets were of block colour
(white, red, yellow, blue or black) bearing an arrow-around-a-circle logo.
I always imagine that the circle represents a planet or moon. The arrow certainly looks like an escape orbit.
It was not until the arrival of later sub-themes in the Space that the lack of a helmet visor in the Classic
Space sets became apparent. Before I saw the Futurons I had no
trouble pretending that my little astronauts were perfectly safe in sealed
suits just like I'd seen on the telly. Once the Futurons came along there was a sad disparity between my astronauts; some had visors, some did not.
Those without visors had to cope with helmets which were open to the vacuum of space. Suddenly my older spacemen were reduced to indoor jobs.
No more EVAs for them. True, the Classic Space helmets did feature little shallow dimples in roughly the right place but spare
Futuron visors did not fit well and would fall off.
Sets
(By the way - most Lego Space sub-themes have 6-12 sets. This list of the Classic Space series, at 74 sets, is stupidly long though. If you can think of an intelligent way of breaking it into slightly smaller chunks, I'd like to hear from you. Perhaps by year?
- 442 - Space Shuttle
- 452 - Mobile Tracking Station
- 462 - Rocket Launcher
- 483 - Alpha-1 Rocket Base
- 487 - Space Cruiser
- 493 - Space Command Center
- 497 - Galaxy Explorer
- 885 - Space Scooter
- 886 - Space Buggy
- 889 - Radar Truck
- 918 - Space Transport
- 1498 - Spy-bot
- 1499 - Twin Starfire
- 1557 - Space Scooter
- 1558 - Mobile Command Trailer
- 1580 - Lunar Scout
- 1593 - ? (Name Unknown) - A very rare set available briefly in Denmark and Germany.
It's a clunky looking ship with a neat 6-wheeled digging vehicle
- 1968 - Unnamed - A Spaceship with with a small wheeled venhicle + robot
- 6750 - Light & Sound Sonic Robot
- 6780 - Light & Sound XT-Starship
- 6783 - Sonar Transmitting Cruiser
- 6801 - Rocket Sled
- 6802 - Space Probe
- 6803 - Space Patrol
- 6804 - Surface Rover
- 6805 - Astro Dasher
- 6806 - Surface Hopper
- 6807 - Unnamed - (described as Space Scooter with Robot) - not available in US
- 6808 - Galaxy Trekkor
- 6809 - XT-5 and Droid
- 6820 - Starfire I
- 6821 - Geological Inspection
- 6822 - Shuttle Craft
- 6823 - Surface Transport
- 6824 - Space Dart-I
- 6825 - Cosmic Comet
- 6826 - Crater Crawler
- 6827 - Strata Scooter
- 6841 - Mineral Detector
- 6842 - Shuttle Craft
- 6844 - Seismologic Vehicle
- 6845 - Cosmic Charger
- 6846 - Tri-star Voyager
- 6847 - Space Dozer
- 6848 - Interplanetary Shuttle
- 6849 - Satellite Patroller
- 6861 - X-1 Patrol Craft
- 6870 - Space Probe Launcher
- 6871 - Star-Patrol Launcher
- 6872 - Lunar Patrol Craft
- 6874 - Moonrover
- 6880 - Surface Explorer
- 6881 - Lunar Rocket Launcher
- 6882 - Walking Astro Grappler
- 6883 - Terrestrial Rover
- 6890 - Cosmic Cruiser
- 6891 - Gamma-V Laser Craft
- 6892 - Modular Space Transport
- 6901 - Mobile Lab
- 6926 - Mobile Recovery Vehicle
- 6927 - All-Terrain Vehicle
- 6928 - Uranium Search Vehicle
- 6929 - Starfleet Voyager
- 6930 - Space Supply Station
- 6931 - FX-Star Patroller
- 6940 - Alien Moon Stalker
- 6950 - Mobile Rocket Transport
- 6951 - Robot Command Center
- 6952 - Solar Power Transporter
- 6970 - Beta-1 Command Base
- 6971 - Inter-Galactic Command Base
- 6972 - Polaris-I Space Lab
- 6980 - Galaxy Commander
- 6985 - Cosmic Fleet Voyager
Value packs
- 1507 - Space Value Pack - 1557 & 1558.
- 1510 - Unnamed bonus pack - 1498 & 1499.
- 1977 - (LEGOLAND Space System value pack) - 6801, 6822 & 6823.
- 1969 - 3 Set Special - Bundle of 6825, 6847 & 6848.
Baseplates
- 453 - Crater Plates x 2
- 454 - Landing Plates x 2
Non - US specific sets
- 920 - Launch Pad {non-U.S. version of 483}
- 924 - Transporter {non-U.S. version of 487}
- 926 - Command Centre {non-U.S. version of 493}
- 928 - Galaxy Explorer {non-U.S. version of 497}
Sorry about the long list. In 22 years Lego bought about more sets in this series than they ever would in a later
Lego Space series. Believe me, I spent as much time checking it all, finding all the extra bits of info etc as I did reminiscing. All praise to
Lugnet for making the task so fun.