Looking for the best Lego space sets? Let us help you. With a wide range of different Lego space sets available – from shuttles and lunar landers based on actual NASA vehicles to Disney-themed playsets for kids – knowing what to spend your money on isn't always easy. But our guide will talk you through every set currently available.
Lego sets themed on space are nothing new. In fact, they've been around since the '60s, since the Danish toy company launched a red-and-white rocket costing just 98c. In the last 60 years, Lego's models have become far more complex and sophisticated (and more expensive than 98 cents!). Rather than being simple playthings, many of Lego's best space sets are highly technical display models designed for adults.
Whether you're in the market for a fun playset or a replica of a real NASA properties, Lego has you covered - and so do we. In our list of best Lego sets, we've separated all available sets into two straightforward categories: realistic Lego space sets aimed at adults, and children's Lego space sets.
Perhaps you're looking for something else? You can also pay a visit to our list of best Lego Star Wars sets, and best Lego Marvel sets. And don't forget to check out our latest bargains on our Lego space deals page, updated regularly with new offers.
Best Lego space sets for adults
If you’re a space fan, then there’s no denying that this Lego NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the best Lego space sets you can get your hands on right now. It’s an authentic recreation of NASA’s real Discovery shuttle, featuring realistic elements such as an opening payload bay, retractable landing gear, and five seats for the crew.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to use your imagination there since this set doesn’t come with minifigures, but it’s a small price to pay for something that’s otherwise so detailed. As an added bonus, it also includes a model of the Hubble Telescope, which can be stowed away inside the shuttle’s payload bay.
- Read our full Lego NASA Space Shuttle Discovery review.
The Lego NASA Apollo Saturn V is an interesting set. It was first released in 2017 as part of the Lego Ideas range, but after being discontinued at the end of 2019, it was brought back in 2020 – the exact same product, but just with a different model number. Clearly, it was so popular that Lego decided it was worth keeping on the shelves much longer than a set’s usual shelf life. And it’s not hard to see why. This replica of Apollo Saturn V is incredibly detailed, and epic in scale – if you stand it upright, it’s a meter tall!
For space fans, too, there’s an awful lot of realistic detail thrown in, such as fuel tanks, rocket fins, and engines – and there’s even a teeny-tiny microfigure included to give you some sense of the scale of this thing. Inevitably, the build is a little repetitive, but for something so magnificent, it’s worth it.
- Find out more in our detailed Lego NASA Apollo Saturn V review
For any space fan, this replica Apollo 11 Lunar Lander is instantly recognizable. Lego has spared almost no detail in bringing it to life, looking as close to the real thing as a set of plastic bricks could possibly allow. The result is a wonderful display piece, capturing the moment that humans stepped on the moon back in 1969 brilliantly. The lander itself is expertly crafted, although the intricacy of the model means there are a few fiddly parts. It’s also a little disappointing that some of the decorations – like the golden paneling along the sides of the Lunar Lander – are stickers rather than printed bricks.
It’s not quite enough to stop this being one of the best Lego space sets out there, though. We particularly love the included display base, designed to replicate the surface of the moon – even complete with little minifigure footprints!
- Read our Lego NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander review for more information.
When Lego first announced the International Space Station (ISS) – a fan-designed model from the Lego Ideas range – we were a little concerned. Why? Well, it seemed that all of those solar panels could be stickers, rather than printed bricks. Nobody likes stickers on a Lego model, especially not that many. Thankfully, Lego delivered more than we hoped for, and there isn’t a single sticker to be seen on this model.
What is to be seen, though, is a glorious replica of the ISS, squeezing in more details than we could have imagined. Real-life features, such as the Integrated Truss Structure, habitation modules, and logistics carriers have been faithfully recreated. And there are even tiny versions of the NASA Space Shuttle, SpaceX Dragon, and Boeing CST-100 Starliner to give the International Space Station a sense of scale. Putting the solar panels together is repetitive though, and by their very nature they’re a little flimsy and easily knocked out of place. But when it’s all built, this is a very impressive model.
This is the only designed-for-adults Lego space set that isn't based on a NASA property, but it's something rather special. Particularly for those of us who have loved Lego since our childhood. You see, this is a recreation of one of Lego's earlier space sets - the Galaxy Explorer from 1979. (If you're not old enough, you might recognize it as the inspiration behind Benny's Spaceship in The LEGO Movie.)
Bigger and more detailed than the original, Lego Icons Galaxy Explorer is undoubtedly a must-have for any LEGO collector and Lego space fan. It's been created to celebrate Lego's 90th anniversary, and so we have a feeling it won't be around forever. It's one we're certainly proud to have in our own collections, that's for sure.
- For more information head to our detailed Lego Icons Galaxy Explorer review
Best Lego space sets for kids
Lego’s Lunar Research Base is based on an official NASA concept for its Artemis Base Camp. It's a fantastic playset thanks to just how much stuff is included. There are plenty of moving parts and a full suit of minifigures, making this the perfect playset for young space adventurers. The downside is that it's quite big, so it needs a lot of space to display or store.
Its price gives us pause however, as $120/£90 for a 786 piece playset just feels too expensive. Grab it whenever it's on offer, however, and this is a set that will certainly delight any young Lego space fan.
- More details can be found in our Lego Lunar Research Base review.
This set is a replacement to Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control (60228) which recently retired – except it’s bigger and more expensive. A little too expensive in fact: $150/£125 for a playset feels like a lot of money.
Still, you do get a lot included for that price, including a realistic rocket inspired by Artemis, NASA’s return to the moon. There’s also a nice selection of minifigures: six in total, including astronauts, scientists, and workmen. There’s basically everything here a kid needs to stage their own rocket launch.
This Lunar Roving Vehicle, complete with its 12 wheels – count them! – is a fantastic-looking space toy. It’s another set based on an Artemis concept, this time for NASA’s Lunar Rover. It opens up at the back, providing space for a minifigure astronaut to sit, and there’s also room for one in the driver’s position.
Better yet, that large, round panel opens up, allowing the vehicle to attach to the Lunar Research Base, which we’ve written about above. Of course, it means you’ll need to shell out $120/£90 to make good use of that function, which is a little annoying.
This Lunar Space Station is based on NASA’s Artemis Lunar Gateway, which gives some educational value to its play. And indeed, there’s a lot to like here, including the realistic docking capsule, the science and botany labs, and the separate sleeping quarters. You can almost imagine it floating through space.
Our only concern is that it’s only $10/£5 cheaper than the ultra-realistic International Space Station model, and we know which one we’d rather have on our shelves. Still, this one is minifigure-scale, so for younger Lego space fans it has much more playability.
Lego’s own Monkie Kid series, a range based on Chinese mythology, might not seem like the ideal choice to make space-themed Lego sets, but here we are. If you’re looking for a realistic Lego space set, this clearly isn’t it, but as far as kids’ playsets go, they don’t get much more funky and interesting-looking than this.
The rocket itself is rather huge – 16.5 inches (41 cm) tall, in fact, and has a lot of interesting internal details, perfect for roleplay. The cockpit and cabin windows lift off, providing access to the inside, where you’ll find five seats for the crew to sit. The finished build does feature quite a lot of stickers, however, which is slightly disappointing.
We don’t think that Lego needs to make a space set that’s tailored towards girls, but there’s no denying that this is a lovely set. It’s NASA-branded, like the newest wave of Lego City sets, and while NASA doesn’t typically put pink edging on its shuttles, it’s still recognizable and packs in plenty of realistic detail. There’s a Canadarm, for instance, which comes out of opening payload doors.
Alongside the shuttle, there’s a ‘Space Academy’ building, along with a telescope and a multi-axis trainer. It makes for a great playset. The only real downside is that the shuttle itself is very similar to the Creator 3-in-1 Space Shuttle Adventure, so there’s little need to have both sets. We'd usually recommend that set, but if your little one loves the color pink, then Olivia’s Space Academy is a great choice for any child.
Here’s another set from Lego’s Monkie Kid range. This isn’t your usual Lego space set, but it does capture the feeling of being on the moon rather well – despite being zany in design! What is particularly neat is the way it blends Chinese folklore (a theme the Monkie Kid range is built around) into sci-fi storytelling; it’s actually named after Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the moon. She features here in minifigure form, along with her acquaintance, the Jade Rabbit. The also-included blue punk-rock cat is perhaps not based on folklore, but is very much appreciated all the same (just look at that mohawk).
The individual elements of Chang’e Moon Cake Factory are neat, particularly the bunny mech, with its huge domed window. It’s just a shame the set is made up of lots of small parts, rather than one larger model.
