LEGO Death Star Is Nearly Operational at LEGOLAND California (Video)

News
By Miriam Kramer
published

That's no moon … that's a whole bunch of LEGOs. A brand new model of the Death Star — the moon-size "Star Wars" planet-destroying machine — made entirely of toy bricks arrived at LEGOLAND California this week.

A new Death Star made of more than 500,000 LEGO bricks will be on display at LEGOLAND California March 5, 2015. (Image credit: LEGOLAND California)

The giant model was crafted from more than 500,000 LEGO bricks, weighs more than 1,900 lbs and, appropriately, it is the largest model to display in the LEGO "Star Wars" Miniland section of the resort, LEGOLAND representatives said. Movers had to use a forklift to move the model into place at the resort. Kids and adults alike can see the model when it goes on view March 5. A drone video of the LEGO Death Star's installation shows the vast size of the massive space station model.

"The LEGO Death Star is designed from the version featured in 'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,'" LEGOLAND representatives wrote in a news release. "The new model display also features the famous trench run scene where Luke Skywalker maneuvered his X-wing fighter through the combat zone to destroy the Death Star. Below the LEGO Death Star, guests are invited to use their imaginations to construct their own LEGO starships at building stations, while LEGO X-Wings, Tie Fighters and Y-Wings circle overhead."

The new model's appearance in the Miniland is well timed. A new "Star Wars" film — called "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" — is set to hit theaters in December 2015.

The LEGO Death Star comes complete with the trench run scene made famous in the "Star Wars" movie. See the model at "Star Wars" Miniland at LEGOLAND California starting March 5, 2015. (Image credit: LEGOLAND California)

LEGO "Star Wars" Miniland has a lot to offer fans of the science fiction franchise. LEGO master builders used more than 1 million blocks to craft scenes from all of the six movies and the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated series. 

The "Episode IV" area features Luke Skywalker, C3-PO, R2-D2 and Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine, according to the LEGOLAND website.

A worker at LEGOLAND California puts together the "Star Wars" Miniland Death Star before the opening on March 5, 2015. (Image credit: LEGOLAND California)

"Here you'll discover Uncle Owen's moisture farm, where Luke Skywalker lived as a child; peek inside the Cantina where the animated Cantina Band plays and stand above the spaceport where the largest LEGO model of Han Solo's famous starship, the Millennium Falcon, sits ready for take-off," LEGOLAND representatives wrote on the website.

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Miriam Kramer
Miriam Kramer
Staff Writer

Miriam Kramer joined Space.com as a Staff Writer in December 2012. Since then, she has floated in weightlessness on a zero-gravity flight, felt the pull of 4-Gs in a trainer aircraft and watched rockets soar into space from Florida and Virginia. She also served as Space.com's lead space entertainment reporter, and enjoys all aspects of space news, astronomy and commercial spaceflight.  Miriam has also presented space stories during live interviews with Fox News and other TV and radio outlets. She originally hails from Knoxville, Tennessee where she and her family would take trips to dark spots on the outskirts of town to watch meteor showers every year. She loves to travel and one day hopes to see the northern lights in person. Miriam is currently a space reporter with Axios, writing the Axios Space newsletter. You can follow Miriam on Twitter.