BDP Series 10: Deep Space Explorer
Posted by Huw,
There are just a few days left now to vote in BrickLink Designer Program series 10 but we still have a few projects to highlight. This article has been contributed by enowicki10:
I am very excited to introduce one of my latest entries into the Bricklink Designer Program Series 10, titled Deep Space Explorer.
Developed as the fleet’s premiere research and exploration starship between 1978 and 1987, the Deep Space Explorer is still at the forefront of cutting-edge technology today.
Bristling with a variety of sensors and detachable vessels, the Deep Space Explorer’s mission is to explore, map, and research the far reaches of unknown space.
Crewed by 1 friendly robot, 3 Pearl Gold astronauts, and 3 Dark Turquoise astronauts, the Deep Space Explorer is ready for any mission.
Design and Influences
As I designed Deep Space Explorer, I took ideas from a variety of places such as Classic Space sets, sci-fi shows as well as movies, and a few LEGO history books.
When I began, I knew I wanted the colours to be similar to the Classic Space sets from the 1970s and 80s. This meant utilising the colours blue, light bluish gray, white, and translucent colors green, red and yellow. Luckily, there is a good amount of all these colours in the Series 10 palette.
Once I had established my usable color palette, I began to comb the parts list for Classic Space parts I wanted to include such as 3956bracket 2 x2 – 2 x 2, 4595 1X2X2/3 modified brick 1 x 2 x 2/3 with studs on sides, 4596 plate special 1 x 2 with long stud receptacle and 98302 jet engine.
I also wanted to include stickers that represented older, printed parts such as the Classic Space logo and the action arrows.
After I had set the criteria for how I wanted the Deep Space Explorer to generally look along with the parts I wanted to include, I went forward and started to layout what would eventually become the final design.
As I began to build, I wanted to have a solid structure. I accomplished this by using Technic bricks and modified bricks with pins, the same as early Classic Space sets. This approach, combined with plates stacked on top and below, created a very solid structure with no wasted parts and a simplified building process more similar to Classic Space sets of old. Here you can see the internal super structure.
Since I was using Technic bricks, this left gaps between the plates, similar to 6984 Galactic Mediator To fill that in a bit, I incorporated some greebling to add texture and depth.
The eventual outline of the Deep Space Explorer is a combination of 497 Galaxy Explorer(and 10497 Galaxy Explorer) as well as 6973 Deep Freeze Defender.
From this outline, I made the decision to have the entire ship be highly modular, like many past Space sets.
I began by designing the front two ships. Here, I took inspiration from Wraith Dart ships found on the sci-fi TV show Stargate Atlantis. Both come with a unique engine configuration and front end with sensors. Both ships also have a storage box at the rear.
In between the front two ships is the first detachable satellite array as well as 2 removeable energy cores that are ‘Easter eggs’ of sorts, similar to the energy core found on 70816 Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! from the LEGO Movie.
The front section also doubles as a refuelling station.
Moving to the middle section, you will find an open space with 2 tool stations and a small, detachable space flyer attached to one side and a satellite array on the other.
The small space flyer was inspired by sets such as 6824 Space Dart I and 6805 Astro Dasher, both of which used 4596 plate special 1 x 2 with long stud receptacle as wings. I have always thought this utilisation was very cool.
The main highlight of the middle section is the rocket bay that opens, revealing a large rocket with a deployable satellite.
Flanking both sides of the rocket bay is an arrow that indicates an action and, in this case, it is a removable data pad.
Just behind the data pad on both wings are two command and control stations.
Located at the back on either side of the middle section are 2 engines with rotating thrusters. Consisting of just 31 parts, I designed them to be easy to assemble and not feel repetitive.
Underneath the middle section is where the retractable landing gear is housed. I wanted to do something that was not parts intensive and resembled how Classic Space sets used the original version of 19798 support round 2 x 2 x 2 stand with reinforced underside as landing gear. The eagle eye observers among you may have noticed that I did use this part towards the top of the large rocket.
The rear section is very open and houses a few secrets. The most striking elements are the two open style wings and bridge/cockpit at the top.
You can remove these components and combine them with an engine or satellite array on the back and the vertical array on the front for a third spaceship. The design of this one was inspired by the 6890 Cosmic Cruiser and 1593 Super Model which is itself a combination of 2 models 6929 Starfleet Voyager and 6880 Surface Explorer.
Moving below you will find a surface rover which has a launch pad for the included mini rockets with whisks as nose mounted sensors.
At the very end is the large sensor dish and the third and final engine that are removed together and can come apart. The dish is attached via 2508 Plate modified 1 x 2 with long tow ball allowing easy movement in all directions.
The large sensor dish has a little trick as it is able to be fully removed and either attached to other ships via the Technic pins or swapped with the tool stations found in the middle section.
Finally, what is a spaceship without her crew? The Deep Space Explorer is crewed by 3 idea227 Classic Space - Dark Turquoise with Air Tanks and Updated Helmet and 3 idea230 Classic Space - Pearl Gold with Air Tanks and Updated Helmet Pearl Gold astronauts. Accompanying them on their adventure are 2 different robots.
The Deep Space Explorer is more than just a display: it can be built together with family and friends, it can be played with in a nearly endless number of ways, and it is a link to the past being built with Classic Space parts, techniques and colours.
Let me end with a few combinations:
Here is an early design I built to test the stability and interconnectivity of all the components.
Again, here is the same model next to the 10355 Blacktron Renegade for a size comparison
66 likes
24 comments on this article
Greebling autocorrect to grabbing (understandable) :)
Lovely model by the way!
It's SPACE, it is highly modular while having a comparably low piece count for its size and I've <3 -voted fore it.
Absolutely gorgeous! Instant buy when it makes it to the 'crowd funding' stage ??
I think it looks like a somewhat basic 1990's design, albeit updated with some newer parts. It doesn't appeal to me, but I can understand the nostalgia.
The updated Galaxy Explorer a few years ago, on the other hand, was sufficiently updated in terms of building techniques to be interesting.
@fredrigl said:
"I think it looks like a somewhat basic 1990's design, albeit updated with some newer parts. It doesn't appeal to me, but I can understand the nostalgia.
The updated Galaxy Explorer a few years ago, on the other hand, was sufficiently updated in terms of building techniques to be interesting."
I know these may be unpopular opinions but I fully agree with you. Not saying I would have designed better and this is clearly hitting the target audience judging by the early comments, it's just not for me
The renders washed-out tones make the photos unnecessarily difficult to 'read’ and the renders are oddly low resolution or soft focus. Just compare the renders to the photos of the prototype. I’m not sure how this helps convince people to back the project.
I gave up on buying BDP sets, even sold those I had, but would buy this one immediately. Even if classic space astronauts still don’t have visors on their helmets… How are they not suffocating in the depths of space? (One of reasons why Futuron is superior :-))
Lovely, but I think it less refined than the 10497 and 10355 .
It needs to be revised by the LEGO staff.
Another flaw is that it lacks internal room while its predecessor 6980 (or maybe 6973 ?) has.
Anyway I hope it will be released as a standard set and not as a BDP.
The Deep Freeze Defender 6973 inspired modular design is glorious.
I've been ignoring the BDP articles so far, but this one I just had to look at. There's no way I have the space for it if it wins, but it got my vote anyway.
@Rimefang said:"The Deep Freeze Defender 6973 inspired modular design is glorious. "
I especially like the rocket bay. I had so much fun with that set...
@Calabar said:
"Lovely, but I think it less refined than the 10497 and 10355 .
It needs to be revised by the LEGO staff.
Another flaw is that it lacks internal room while its predecessor 6980 (or maybe 6973 ?) has.
Anyway I hope it will be released as a standard set and not as a BDP. "
For LEGO-revision and non-BDP release, it needs to be turned in to and be upvoted in IDEAS. But the final result would be unrecognisable and your IP would be stolen by LEGO (via terms of use).
Never submit to IDEAS!
Love this
You know how I usually groan when lego makes yet another lazy gray-blue-trans yellow Classic Space homage?
I don't here. This is genuinely a GREAT homage that goes beyond superficial colors, CS astronaut figures or a basic gray wedge shape with blue cockpit and trans yellow windscreen.
I can tell that you actually truly love and understand the source material, and you looked beyond the first year of Classic Space! The white accent color is fresh yet entirely true to the original sets, and using the Deep Freeze Defender as a base without just remaking that set in CS colors gives us the best of both worlds. And the sheer imagination on the details truly reminds me of the original sets. This feels like a true continuation of the design philosophy of back then, down to details most fans would overlook due to rose tinted glasses that would make people remember sets as less gritty and/or less 'realistic'.
And the modularity feels straight out of both the 80s-90s themes and of the recent Renegade.
Would I have preferred another Space theme having gotten a glowup? That's irrelevant, because this design feels genuinely like the set you build transcends faction or colorscheme superficiality. It's just a really fun spaceship! As a model it looks super promising!
You have my support!
I see what it’s going for and I’m happy to support that idea, it may need some refining if selected, but the idea is there. I think the main question is if this is supposed to reflect the earliest space sets that came out then it’s fine as is, but if it’s supposed to be a smoother sturdy remake like the recent galaxy explorer, then it would need some beefing up here. Both styles valid, just depends which one the designer is shooting for? And perhaps which one people would prefer
It's a nice set but I honestly found the Lunar Cargo Train and Launch Base Alpha more impressive
I like the concept but it needs some revising. The modularity is great and the general shaping is nice. It needs more interior space for the minifigs and the open space for the rocket in the middle is where should logically be for that classic space vibe. Just some thoughts.
You have my vote - great job!
@lost_scotsman said:
" @fredrigl said:
"I think it looks like a somewhat basic 1990's design, albeit updated with some newer parts. It doesn't appeal to me, but I can understand the nostalgia.
The updated Galaxy Explorer a few years ago, on the other hand, was sufficiently updated in terms of building techniques to be interesting."
I know these may be unpopular opinions but I fully agree with you. Not saying I would have designed better and this is clearly hitting the target audience judging by the early comments, it's just not for me"
I agree too, as someone who bought and loves the Galaxy Explorer. It doesn't help either that the visuals look quite bad. The dark turquoise and gold spacemen also throw me off. There's nothing wrong with them, but the colours mismatch with the Classic Space colours of the starship. The modularity is fun, though.
@jkb said:
"It's SPACE, it is highly modular while having a comparably low piece count for its size and I've <3 -voted fore it."
thank you, I really tried to keep it below 1,500 parts
@ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @lost_scotsman said:
" @fredrigl said:
"I think it looks like a somewhat basic 1990's design, albeit updated with some newer parts. It doesn't appeal to me, but I can understand the nostalgia.
The updated Galaxy Explorer a few years ago, on the other hand, was sufficiently updated in terms of building techniques to be interesting."
I know these may be unpopular opinions but I fully agree with you. Not saying I would have designed better and this is clearly hitting the target audience judging by the early comments, it's just not for me"
I agree too, as someone who bought and loves the Galaxy Explorer. It doesn't help either that the visuals look quite bad. The dark turquoise and gold spacemen also throw me off. There's nothing wrong with them, but the colours mismatch with the Classic Space colours of the starship. The modularity is fun, though."
Thank you all for the feedback, I myself also enjoy the new Galaxy Explorer and Blacktron Renegade, they are impressive, modern remakes of Classic Space sets. The first push for me to design this set actually came from my 6 year old son. He loves LEGO and actually built both those remakes but he never really played with them which I found odd, while being ICON sets they do have play features and are SWOOSHable. He also has the newer CITY Space sets and built those and played with them briefly. So one day I decided to get out my 6957 Solar Snooper and see what he thought and to my surprise that is the set he played with and built his entire play story around. Weeks later he was stilling playing with it.
The entire experience got me thinking about the playability of older sets compared to new sets. While I enjoy the aesthetic and detail of new sets, I felt there was more limited play compared to older Classic Space sets. So I set out to design something that incorporated all the best bits I could stuff into a sub-1,500 part design, to make it relatively affordable.
I designed the Deep Space Explorer to be both playable and a visual history of Classic Space design from 1978 - 1987. Hence, all the Classic Space parts scattered throughout, the choice to use 3 colors (blue, light gray, and white), and the airy feel with no logical protection from the harshness of space. For me, when someone looks at the Deep Space Explorer, I hope they see a set that is as goofy, illogical, and fun as Classic Space sets, and I hope that puts a little smile on their face.
@enowicki said:
" @ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @lost_scotsman said:
" @fredrigl said:
"I think it looks like a somewhat basic 1990's design, albeit updated with some newer parts. It doesn't appeal to me, but I can understand the nostalgia.
The updated Galaxy Explorer a few years ago, on the other hand, was sufficiently updated in terms of building techniques to be interesting."
I know these may be unpopular opinions but I fully agree with you. Not saying I would have designed better and this is clearly hitting the target audience judging by the early comments, it's just not for me"
I agree too, as someone who bought and loves the Galaxy Explorer. It doesn't help either that the visuals look quite bad. The dark turquoise and gold spacemen also throw me off. There's nothing wrong with them, but the colours mismatch with the Classic Space colours of the starship. The modularity is fun, though."
Thank you all for the feedback, I myself also enjoy the new Galaxy Explorer and Blacktron Renegade, they are impressive, modern remakes of Classic Space sets. The first push for me to design this set actually came from my 6 year old son. He loves LEGO and actually built both those remakes but he never really played with them which I found odd, while being ICON sets they do have play features and are SWOOSHable. He also has the newer CITY Space sets and built those and played with them briefly. So one day I decided to get out my 6957 Solar Snooper and see what he thought and to my surprise that is the set he played with and built his entire play story around. Weeks later he was stilling playing with it.
The entire experience got me thinking about the playability of older sets compared to new sets. While I enjoy the aesthetic and detail of new sets, I felt there was more limited play compared to older Classic Space sets. So I set out to design something that incorporated all the best bits I could stuff into a sub-1,500 part design, to make it relatively affordable.
I designed the Deep Space Explorer to be both playable and a visual history of Classic Space design from 1978 - 1987. Hence, all the Classic Space parts scattered throughout, the choice to use 3 colors (blue, light gray, and white), and the airy feel with no logical protection from the harshness of space. For me, when someone looks at the Deep Space Explorer, I hope they see a set that is as goofy, illogical, and fun as Classic Space sets, and I hope that puts a little smile on their face."
And that's kinda the point, isn't it? These old sets achieved a lot of charme and playability without being overengineered. And you repeated that! Plus, it is also super modular - I'm impressed, and I don't give that compliment away lightly!
I will 100% buy this if approved.
@enowicki said:
" @ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @lost_scotsman said:
" @fredrigl said:
"I think it looks like a somewhat basic 1990's design, albeit updated with some newer parts. It doesn't appeal to me, but I can understand the nostalgia.
The updated Galaxy Explorer a few years ago, on the other hand, was sufficiently updated in terms of building techniques to be interesting."
I know these may be unpopular opinions but I fully agree with you. Not saying I would have designed better and this is clearly hitting the target audience judging by the early comments, it's just not for me"
I agree too, as someone who bought and loves the Galaxy Explorer. It doesn't help either that the visuals look quite bad. The dark turquoise and gold spacemen also throw me off. There's nothing wrong with them, but the colours mismatch with the Classic Space colours of the starship. The modularity is fun, though."
Thank you all for the feedback, I myself also enjoy the new Galaxy Explorer and Blacktron Renegade, they are impressive, modern remakes of Classic Space sets. The first push for me to design this set actually came from my 6 year old son. He loves LEGO and actually built both those remakes but he never really played with them which I found odd, while being ICON sets they do have play features and are SWOOSHable. He also has the newer CITY Space sets and built those and played with them briefly. So one day I decided to get out my 6957 Solar Snooper and see what he thought and to my surprise that is the set he played with and built his entire play story around. Weeks later he was stilling playing with it.
The entire experience got me thinking about the playability of older sets compared to new sets. While I enjoy the aesthetic and detail of new sets, I felt there was more limited play compared to older Classic Space sets. So I set out to design something that incorporated all the best bits I could stuff into a sub-1,500 part design, to make it relatively affordable.
I designed the Deep Space Explorer to be both playable and a visual history of Classic Space design from 1978 - 1987. Hence, all the Classic Space parts scattered throughout, the choice to use 3 colors (blue, light gray, and white), and the airy feel with no logical protection from the harshness of space. For me, when someone looks at the Deep Space Explorer, I hope they see a set that is as goofy, illogical, and fun as Classic Space sets, and I hope that puts a little smile on their face."
Nice to hear that your inspiration comes from real-life experience with your son. I can clearly tell you've chosen playability over aesthetics (even though it does look nice) and over the more modern, advanced building techniques. If that was the goal, you've totally achieved it. It's just not something I expected from a BDP series entry. And, as I said, I like the modularity of the spaceship. That was one of my favourite features of Classic Space, even it makes no sense whatsoever.
However, I do stand by my critique that I think the dark turquoise spacemen don't match the overall colour scheme. It's too close to the classic blue spacemen, but not close enough to make it a great fit colour-wise. It feels 'wrong', but maybe it's more of a me-problem. It does take away a bit from the nostalgic vibe. The more I look at the pics, though, the more I start liking the gold spacemen. It contrasts very nicely with the blue, and therefore doesn't feel (too) out of place. I think it's mostly the dark turquoise that I don't like. But I guess I could change that out with a few Bennys.
@ToysFromTheAttic said:"However, I do stand by my critique that I think the dark turquoise spacemen don't match the overall colour scheme. It's too close to the classic blue spacemen, but not close enough to make it a great fit colour-wise. It feels 'wrong', but maybe it's more of a me-problem. It does take away a bit from the nostalgic vibe. The more I look at the pics, though, the more I start liking the gold spacemen. It contrasts very nicely with the blue, and therefore doesn't feel (too) out of place. I think it's mostly the dark turquoise that I don't like. But I guess I could change that out with a few Bennys."
I sorta have to agree with you on that, but if this were going to be a set and if BDP sets were allowed to get recolors, I'd want the teal guys to be replace with black ones, so that every color of the original Classic Spacemen could be updated with the new helmet mold, or maybe even some black ones and some blue ones who *don't* have a cracked helmet or faded logo.