LEGO City Rocket Launch Center and Lunar Research Base Review

These two sets share a NASA theme, so most of the constructions feature stark white architecture with light gray and navy accents, gray terrain, and an abundance of beautiful clear blue, molded plastic panes for windows.

Starting off with Rocket Launch Center, you get a monitoring station with an interactive display monitor, an astronomy hub with a posable telescope, and a fully interactive launchpad, including a working elevator and boarding platform. Also included are an astronaut cart, research drones, an asteroid, and 7 minifigs, from researchers to crew mates. The rocket has opening panels where you can seat the minifigs. This set has a lot of great detail. Our favorite little detail is the scale model of the rocket in the corner of the monitoring station.

Now we have Lunar Research Base! This awesome set has an airlock and bio-dome, detaching hallways lined with beakers, monitors and astronaut gear, a lander, and a lunar rover. You also get 6 minifigs, a drone, asteroid, and what we believe to be a little solar-powered carrying cart. Play features include the drone’s grappling hook, lander take-off exhaust, opening bio-dome panels, and detachable hallways. This last feature is much appreciated, as it allows you to really admire all the internal detail. Be careful when handling the hallway pieces or joints in this set, as they can be slightly delicate. Not overly so, just a piece falling off here and there.