Lego has a new space shuttle set and this one comes with its own private jet

The space shuttle may no longer be in active service, but you can keep the dream alive with a new Lego set that features two separate vehicles.

There have been dozens of Lego space shuttle sets over the years, going all the way back to 1990, made in all sorts of scales and aimed at both kids and adult collectors.

There hasn’t been a large scale one for a few years though, so they’ve gone all out with this new Shuttle Carrier Aircraft set, which includes not just the space shuttle Enterprise but the specially modified Boeing 747, which used to carry it around when it wasn’t going into space.

The fact that a reusable spaceship could just be carted on the back of a relatively ordinary jumbo jet was always pretty amazing, and this set manages to recreate both craft perfectly.

There are 2,417 Lego pieces in the set, which measures 63cm long in total. The 747 has retractable landing gear, which works on a neat automatic gear system.

Meanwhile, the space shuttle has an opening cargo bay, which can store the removeable engines and landing gear, and there’s a detachable tail cone that was always used when travelling between locations.

You can also build a display stand to hold both craft, with each having their own information plaque. Although you can display them both separately, as they can both stand on their own wheels.

Aircraft are a difficult shape to make out of Lego, which is why most sets aimed at younger fans have unique modelled nosecones, but these ones are all brick-built and they look great.

The set costs £199.99 in the UK and will be available from May 18. Although if you’re a Lego Insider, which only requires a free sign-up, you can get it from May 15.

Although there have been plenty of space shuttle sets over the years, Lego has also made a lot of other NASA approved models, with the Artemis Space Launch System and Milky Way 3D art still available.

There’re also lower priced sets, such as an astronaut and working orrery – which accurately simulates the Earth and Moon moving around the Sun.

Obviously, there are plenty of fictional spacecraft as well, especially based on Star Wars and Marvel, but many of the Lego City and Friends sets are based on relatively realistic ship and space station designs, in order to give kids something to play with that is still rooted in real science.

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