The best last-minute holiday gifts for any die hard space superfan

A model rocket, a brick built aeroplane and shuttle, a bin-shaped projector and an orange telescope are all positioned on an orange planet background.
(Image credit: Future)

The holiday season is upon us. So, whether you've had your eye on something for a while or you're busy shopping the sale to come up with ideas, it's the perfect time to grab a deal, especially if there's a diehard space fan in your life that you need a gift for.

From tabletop telescopes to actual pieces of the moon, we've searched across the web for the best gifts at the best prices so you don't have to. And we're not talking about your average cosmic gifts from space-themed socks to star maps, although they're still great picks. No, these are for the space fans who are madly obsessed with the universe.

Best holiday gifts for diehard space fans we recommend

Why you can trust Space.com Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test and review products.

ZWO Seestar S30 Smart Telescop
Save 13% ($50)
ZWO Seestar S30 Smart Telescop: was $399 now $349 at Amazon

This is one of the best tabletop telescopes money can buy, and it just got a little more affordable. The ZWO Seestar S30 is a compact smart telescope with 30mm aperture, a 2MP sensor, and it's ultra-portable for astrophotography, weighing just 3.6lb.

It's our favorite pick for imaging on a budget with 150mm focal length and a 2.9 x 1.6-degree field of view, ideal for capturing images of large deep-sky objects. It's packed with futuristic features, too, from auto-tracking, image stacking and Wi-Fi control.

Estes Blue Origin New Shepard Model Rocket
Estes Blue Origin New Shepard Model Rocket: $29.99 at Amazon

Own a replica of the rocket that literally took Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to space with this Estes Blue Origin New Shepard 1/66th scale model. Named after Alan Shepard, who once walked on the moon, it's a legacy piece with a rich history and a far-reaching goal to make space exploration accessible to everyone.

While an actual trip on the rocket is incredibly expensive, owning a small replica that you can launch up to 400ft before deploying its own capsule with a parachute is a pretty cool consolation prize. Plus, it's one of the best model rocket sets on the market. Though it's worth noting that the engines and launchpad are sold separately.

Lego Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
Lego Shuttle Carrier Aircraft: $229.99 at LEGO

Lego is excellent at making replica model crafting not only a fun experience, but something amazing to look at when it's all done, perfect for home decor. And you'll be kept very busy constructing over 2,000 pieces to create this detailed Lego replica model of the Boeing 747 carrier aircraft and NASA Space Shuttle Enterprise.

This collectible building set is part of the Lego Icons series, a perfect gift for adult fans of model aircraft, science and space exploration. A truly iconic piece to display an era that played an integral part in human space travel.

Celestron NexStar 6SE
Save 13% ($160)
Celestron NexStar 6SE: was $1,199 now $1,039 at Amazon

The Celestron NexStar 6SE is a fuss-free telescope that'll give you some of the best views of the solar system you'll ever experience.

It's got flawless optical coating for clear views, no color fringing or coma, Vixen dovetail for flexible mount changes, an excellent tracking system and all wrapped up in a high-quality build. If you've got a budding astronomer in your life, this telescope grants them the opportunity to explore space like never before.

Lego NASA Mars Rover Perseverance
Lego NASA Mars Rover Perseverance: $97 at Amazon

The Lego NASA Mars Rover Perseverance set features over 1,100 pieces and is a fantastic buildable replica of the vehicle that has roamed the Red Planet's surafce. This is one of the best Lego space sets on the market right now.

One of the most impressive parts about it? It actually comes equipped with full steering and suspension, as well as working wheels.

Estes Super Orbital Transport
Save 5%
Estes Super Orbital Transport: was $57 now $54 at Amazon

A must-have piece of kit for rocketeers, the Eetes Super Orbital Transport is an upgraded version of the company's OG model. It's like the original, only bigger and better. What you get is a rocket that needs some serious skills to build, as well as some basic tools.

And once you've built it, you can launch it up to 800 feet into the air, though you'll need to spend a little extra on the launching kit parts. Once launched, a dual recovery system is deployed with a parachute and glider, meaning you can launch it again and again.

Orzorz Galaxy Projector
Orzorz Galaxy Projector: $50.99 at Amazon

The best viral star projector on the market, which surprised us with how good it is, the Orzorz Galaxy Projector gives the premium models on the market a run for their money, for a fraction of the cost.

In our review, we were thrilled with the bright and vivid imagery, the premium feel of the model and the realistic imagery, along with the features, like a sleep timer and 180-degree rotation available.

Grace Dean
Contributing Writer

Grace is a freelancer who started writing for Space.com since 2021. She's a huge fan of movies, TV, and gaming, and if she's not clutching her Xbox controller or scanning the streaming platforms for the next must-watch shows, you'll find her spending copious amounts of time writing about them on her laptop. Specialties include RPG, FPS, and action-adventure games as well as 80s sci-fi movies and book adaptations.