Ever since the first Buck Rogers ray gun was made in 1933, space toy manufacturers have been more interested in fancy than fact, but realistic space toys are still out there if you look hard enough.

Martin Robert, brand manager at Wrebbit, Inc. thinks Apollo wins with the Saturn V rocket, which he calls "the most famous" icon of the Space Age.

Wrebbit makes the "Puzz 3-D" line of three-dimensional foam puzzles, and this year's biggest new puzzle is their version of the Saturn V.

Robert says the Saturn V was designed after the successful introduction of a small space shuttle puzzle last year.

With 62 pieces and a retail price tag of about six dollars, the shuttle is part of Wrebbit's line of mini-puzzles. The Saturn V rocket, on the other hand, will retail for around $25 when it hits the shelves in June.

Wrebbit worked closely with NASA to get the look of the shuttle and the Saturn V right. Robert says the company had a "good time" working with NASA, and that they were easy to deal with.

The model features the company's popular rod and connector system, as well as motorized solar panels, a sound module and collectible NASA stickers.

K'NEX has a strong educational focus, and each kit in the line will include a brochure describing upcoming space launches. There are also plans to promote the line by offering a free trip to Space Camp.

The company also stresses flexibility in its designs. Would-be engineers can rebuild both the moon rover and shuttle orbiter kits in three different designs, while the Cape Canaveral launchpad -- which includes a small-scale space shuttle -- transforms into a model of the Hubble telescope.

All four kits will be available in August. Retail prices will range from approximately $10 for the moon rover to $50 for the space station.

The NASA logo isn't the only one appearing on space toys. Last year, Uncle Milton released the first four toys in its "Mars and Beyond" line, a set of camping gear with a space-age theme.

Developed in cooperation with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the toys include a "habitation module" tent, a pair of "wrist communicator" walkie-talkies, a "robotic extender arm" and a "hydropak drink unit" canteen that keeps water and powdered drinks in separate compartments.

This year, Uncle Milton is releasing two new toys: the "deep space talking telescope" and the "audio surveyor".

The Audio Surveyor resembles a dish antenna, and can be used to amplify and record nearby sounds. It's designed to be attached to the top of the "habitation module" tent.

While the toys are more fanciful than realistic -- terrestrial camping gear is unlikely to conquer Mars -- the company intends for the line to "educate and enthuse" kids about space.

The "deep space talking telescope" will retail for about $60, while the "audio surveyor" will retail for about $35.

While Uncle Milton may rely on a touch of fantasy to excite kids about space, Action Products International (API) concentrates on complete realism. The toy company bills its "Space Voyagers" line of vehicles and action figures as "the most authentic space toys on Earth."

In addition to keyclips and miniature vehicles in a variety of sizes, the company produces action figures of astronauts in spacesuits from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and shuttle programs. Each figure and vehicle is put into its historical context with dates and information about the programs.

API art director Sharon Penland-Greiner is most excited about the company's new "ultimate" Saturn V rocket. Built on a 1:144 scale, the rocket is almost 3 feet tall, and includes a realistic launch pad, lunar lander and a command module that can be opened to reveal the astronauts inside.

Penland-Greiner says that the Florida-based company has made good use of its proximity to NASA, working closely with the space agency to reproduce every detail of its gear and vehicles exactly.

"If it's on the original," she says, "it's on our model."

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