Best Lego space sets this Cyber Monday: NASA sets, spaceships and more

Discover the best Lego space sets in the known universe this Cyber Monday in our handy round-up below. 

Black Friday may be over but we're still seeing discounts across a range of the best Lego space sets going into Cyber Monday. Lego and space go hand-in-hand as the manufacturer's range of out-of-this-world sets date back to the 1960s. The number of models has expanded exponentially since then and now there's something suitable for all ages, budgets, building abilities and needs. Below, you'll find a fun mix of sets suitable for children to behemoths made with collectors in mind. 

Cyber Monday is here on November 27 and we're hoping to see a number of the best Lego space sets with a sizable discount, as we've seen over the Black Friday weekend. Retailers compete with each other at this time of year to offer shoppers the lowest prices ahead of the holidays, so if you're in the market for one of the best Lego space sets, now is the time cash-in. 

When it comes to Lego space fun, it's not just space-specific sets that people around the world enjoy. We've got round-ups for best Lego Star Wars sets, and best Lego Marvel sets worth checking out and if you are hoping to bag a bargain this Cyber Monday, we've got Lego deals and Lego Star Wars deals hubs too. So, for the best Lego space sets this Cyber Monday, read on below. 

The quick list

NASA Space Shuttle Discovery

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.

NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander

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.

Lightyear XL-15 Spaceship

You'll undoubtedly love the Lego XL-15 Spaceship most if you've seen Disney-Pixar's recent LIghtyear movie. But even if you haven't, you can surely appreciate just how lovely a Lego set this is. Well priced at $49.99, this ship packs in lots of details - and it even includes a display stand. Despite being a set marketed at those aged eight and above, then, it's also going to appeal to adults.

It's of course not the most realistic Lego space set, but it does deserve a place on this list thanks to the amount of detail packed into a $50 set. We love the minifigures included - featuring Buzz Lightyear, of course - and a bunch of included accessories makes it a great playset for younger builders, too.

• Find out more in our full Lego Lightyear XL-15 Spaceship review

Galaxy Explorer

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

Tales of the Space Age

From the Lego Ideas range, the Tales of the Space Age set allows you to build four separate dioramas, each depicting a space event. There's a rocket launch, a moon base and lunar eclipse, a comet, and a black hole. Each one can be displayed on its own or with the full set - and they can be wall-mounted or stood up. We love Lego sets that can hang on the wall!

If you enjoy being challenged by your Lego builds, you may find these a little simple. But it makes them a great entry point for someone fairly new to building. And either way, there's no denying the finished models look simply wonderful.

• Read our full review of Lego Ideas Tales of the Space Age to learn more

Lunar Research Base

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.

Rocket Launch Center

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.

Lunar Roving Vehicle

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.

Lunar Space Station

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.

Monkie Kid's Galactic Explorer

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.

Olivia's Space Academy

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.