TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:
Alternate Mode:
Additional Image:
Box Art:
Technical Specifications:
STR
INT
SPD
END
RNK
CRG
FPR
SKL

Bombshell's review of: Space Team (Astroscope, Payload, Sky Blast)

Generation: Armada
First Cartoon Appearance: "The Awakening" (Sky Blast) "Desperate" (Payload and Astroscope)
First Comic Appearance: Armada #9.
Motto: "The vacuum of space is our domain."
The adventurous SPACE MINI-CON TEAM specializes in cosmic operations and has accomplished many great exploration and technological feats in air and space. Extreme operational conditions require that they be highly trained, highly durable, and totally reliable; which they accomplish with enthusiastic precision. When joined together ASTROSCOPE, PAYLOAD, and SKY BLAST form the powerful and ever so devastating weapon REQUIEM BLASTER.

ASTROSCOPE:
Alternate Mode: Space Station.
Astroscope's alternate mode is a space station, similar to the International Space Station or MIR. He also forms the barrel of the Requiem Blaster. He's mostly blue, but some other colors peek in. The missile sticking out of the satellite and his middle section (that forms his body and upper legs) are red, so is the trigger that launches the missile.
Robot Mode: Begin the transformation by moving the arms upward. You might want to move the missile out in order to get the right arm up. Flip the head up. Bring the arms back up to where they were, then fold the sensor dishes down to make the legs. His Mini-Con symbol is etched onto the left side of his chest. His body remains blue, with his lower body, missile, and the right fin on his head are red. His robot eyes are blue. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a lot of articulation. His left arm can move a bit, and his legs, on ball joints, can move forward and backward, but that's about it.

PAYLOAD:
Alternate Mode: Space Cargo Truck.
Payload's alternate mode is a cargo truck, which can carry Sky Blast in vehicle mode. He also forms the bottom half of the Requiem Blaster handle. He's mostly black, the grilles on the top of the cab and on the front are grey. The windows are yellow, and the headlights on the top and bottom of the cab are orange. His middle is red.
Robot Mode: Begin by separating the legs, then pull up the red peg (which is the handle for the Requiem Blaster) up. Bring the arms down halfway, then bring the truck end down, which will bring the truck's end down, revealing the robot's head, which brings out a new colors: a blue face with silver detailing and yellow eyes. His Mini-Con symbol is on his left leg. Like Astroscope, he doesn't have a lot of articulation. His legs can rotate, and his arms move in an almost 360 degree turn, but that's about it.

SKY BLAST:
Alternate Mode: Rocket.
Sky Blast's alternate mode is that of a rocket ship, but a more futuristic version than you might find on a NASA rocket pad. He is mostly white, with a grey spray op on the engines. The nozzles are bronze, and the connectors holding the engines to the rocket's main body are red. A blue cylinder (which is the robot form's left arm) rests between the rocket engines.
Robot Mode: Begin the transformation by separating the legs, then raising the rocket body upward. Reconnect the legs, then swing the arms around bring them down. Move the robot head up, and spread the legs apart. His color scheme retains all the colors of his vehicle mode, with more blue and silver showing up in the robot head. His Mini-Con symbol is on his right arm. (Which is his cockpit in his vehicle mode)

Requiem Blaster
Get all of the team members back to vehicle form to begin with, but keep Astroscope's satellite fins locked down as his feet. Separate Payload's feet, and bend them at the knees, bringing the Requiem Blaster handle up as you do so. Bring his legs back together, then connect Sky Blast to Payload, bending his cockpit to the side as you do. Bend Astroscope's arm and connect it to the hole made by Sky Blast's cockpit movement. The Requiem Blaster is a weapon of immense girth, looking impressive, and has a bit of weight on it. Unfortunately, it is because of this that would make it difficult to hold in the hands of a deluxe figure. (I don't have any, so I wouldn't know for sure…) Giga vehicles (Megatron, Galvatron), might be better off.

Transformation: 5. I currently own three Mini-Con teams (including this one), and this one took me the longest to figure out, even with instructions.
Durability: 6. Payload and Sky Blast are pretty sturdy, but Astroscope is top heavy (because of his missile arm) and not held together well, so he falls apart pretty easy.
Fun: 5. They're pretty cool on their own, but unlike the Air Defense/Air Assault and Race Teams, you need to have a Deluxe or Giga figure to get the full enjoyment out of it.
Price: 5. I got them for about $12 and change, but I've seen places selling Mini-Cons for much less.
Overall: 6. Not too bad, but they're not that great on their own.