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LEGO SpaceX Dragon Capsule

This is SpaceX’s Dragon Capsule in LEGO and is a companion model to the Falcon 9 first stage rocket. The Dragon is the first private spacescraft to visit the international space station. This model features:

  • Pressurized cargo hold.
  • Ejectable nose cone.
  • The unpressurized cargo ‘trunk’.
  • Solar arrays stowed in the launch configuration.
  • The second stage and merlin vacuum engine.
  • Approx 1:124 scale (~16cm tall).

Construction:

Step by step instructions for building a LEGO SpaceX Dragon Capsule
Quantity Color Description Bricklink LEGO Element ID*
Lego plate 2x2 round 4 Dark Stone Grey Plate 2x2 Round 4032 4211042
Lego slide shoe 2x2 1 Brick Yellow Slide Shoe 2x2 2654 4278422
Lego Plate 4x4 Round W. Snap 4 Medium Stone Grey Plate 4x4 Round W. Snap 60474 4515351
Lego Brick 4x4 Rround W. Ø4.9 W. KL. White 1 White Brick 4x4 Rround W. Ø4.9 W. KL. 87081 4558956
Lego Plate 4x4 Round W. Snap, White 2 White Plate 4x4 Round W. Snap 60474 4515347
Lego Connector Peg W. Knob 4 Medium Stone Grey Connector Peg W. Knob 4274 4211483
Lego Plate 1x2 6 White Plate 1x2 302301 302301
Lego Flat Tile 1x3 4 White Flat Tile 1x3 4558168 4558168
Lego Cone 2x2x2 1 Dark Stone Grey Cone 2x2x2 3942c n/a
Lego Wall Element, Round 5x4x2 2 White Wall Element, Round 5x4x2 85941 n/a
Lego Technic Brick 4x4 Round 2 White Technic Brick 4x4 Round 6222 n/a
Lego Final Brick 2x2 1 White Final Brick 2x2 553b n/a
Lego Cone 4x4x2 1 White Cone 4x4x2 3943b n/a

How to purchase parts:

Complete kits can be purchased from the RepRage convenience store.

Alternatively you could source components individually. Parts with a ‘LEGO Element ID’ listed above can be purchased directly from LEGO:

  • Click ‘Bricks’
  • Select ‘Pick a Brick’
  • Search by ‘Element ID’ in the Advanced search box.

The parts with ‘n/a’ as the Element ID can be purchased from collectors. Bricklink is ebay for LEGO pieces, collectors have stores that sell used LEGO parts. The trick is to try and get as many of the parts from as few stores as possible (to save on shipping costs).

Custom Decals:

Using a decent ink jet printer, these decals can be printed on Avery 53203 decal paper. Multiples of each fit on a single sheet, allowance for any mistakes. These decals were assembled from photos, logos and the AXM paper models. You will need to trim the decals to size. The capsule decals are easier to fit if they are first cut into sections.

Download as:

How to support this project:

  • Donate a few bucks.
  • Hit me up in the comments below with model ideas and improvements.
  • If you build one, send a picture!

Files:

Credits:

  • Original construction techniques inspired by the LEGO set Space Port 60080.
  • An anonymous SpaceX employee for suggestions on landing leg and Vacuum Merlin engine improvements.
  • teamfatkid for assembling the decal sheet.

Edits:

  • 2019/02/27 - Removed link to the defunct LEGO ideas project
  • 2019/02/21 - Added link for purchasing complete parts kits.
  • 2017/07/28 - Added details for printing decals.

Comments:

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