Lunar Research Base LEGO Set (#60350)

This LEGO City playset depicts a NASA-inspired lunar research base that includes a small greenhouse.

  • Name: Lunar Research Base LEGO Set (#60350)
  • Description: A large part of this LEGO set is the plant growth area on the top of the lunar research base
  • Analysis: Ignoring the restrictions on the set designers (budget, piece count, ease of play), we’ll go over the parts of the plant growth area of this playset below:
  1. There doesn’t appear to be a lighting system above where the plants grow.  Most plant growth systems in space have strong blue and red LED lights to promote flowering and growth.  It’s unlikely that a lunar research base would not have these lights.  
  2. Carrots appear to be one of the primary plants growing in the chamber.  There are three planted carrots and one carrot has been isolated on a lab bench for research purposes.  Fibrous, nutrient-dense carrots could be a great vegetable to grow in space for both research and sustenance. 
  3. There are a couple of tables- one features a bowl- implying the astronauts can/will probably eat some of the crops grown in the chamber here.  
  4. It’s unclear what medium the plants are planted in, but since it’s brown, we’ll assume it’s some type of nutrient-rich soil that mimics terrestrial composition.  It’s unlikely that loose soil would be allowed on a lunar base with 1/6th Earth’s gravity.  It’s more likely that the soil would be contained with material such as soft fabric with a special system for water delivery.  Alternatively, the plants could be grown hydroponically.  
  5. It appears that the sleeping quarters are also in this area of the base.  This could make sense as astronauts report that plants have a strong positive effect on their mental health in the vastness of outer space. 
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