LEGO’s spaceship design has never been better than in 2024 

As we prepare for a year of Formula 1, it's clear that LEGO’s spaceship design has never been better than in 2024's space range.

In case you somehow missed it, 2024 was the year of LEGO space with a multi-theme collection celebrating all aspects of space exploration from galaxy recreations to one of the best and most affordable LEGO spaceships to date.

We're not talking about a build from Star Wars though, but one of the smallest City models released in 2024. 60430 Interstellar Spaceship surprised and delighted us in our initial review and proved that the greatest of designs can come from the most unusual places.

LEGO City's exploration of space has previously focused on realistic missions but ahead of 2024, a limited collection of models experimented with concepts that were inherently futuristic while remaining grounded – including 60350 Lunar Research Base inspired by NASA's Artemis base camp concept.

Earlier this year, the LEGO Group seemingly removed all previous restrictions from the LEGO City designers and allowed them to flex their creative muscles like never before. 60430 Interstellar Spaceship is a small but mighty example of this with its sleek shaping and an interactive feature that changes the look of the ship more drastically than you'd expect.

Not only does the affordable LEGO City set feel like a step up in terms of building techniques usually on display in LEGO City, but the way that it integrates the main play feature is nothing short of astounding. By inserting the futuristic battery element into the corresponding slot on top of the ship, and pushing it down the small engine opens up to reveal a larger array of boosters, encouraging you to swoosh it around faster than before while greatly affecting the sleek shape of the ship.

It's an impressive and fun feature for a LEGO City set that is integrated so neatly into the design that you'd be forgiven for not realising it was there in the first place. This function is a huge part of what makes 60430 Interstellar Spaceship stand out from the many other LEGO spaceships on offer, especially when you consider that it's only £17.99 / $19.99 / €19.99 for 240 pieces. It's undoubtedly the best of the LEGO City 2024 spaceships, but the others have similar functions and designs that are almost on par with it too.

LEGO City 60430 Interstellar Spaceship delivers everything you'd hope such a return to fictional LEGO space sets could produce and a whole lot more, and despite the end of 2024 looming the year of LEGO space isn't over yet.

Thankfully, this style of LEGO spaceship design isn't disappearing now that the year of space is over as it turns out that the collection isn't limited to just one year. Multiple sets confirmed for 2025 still feature the branding, including the massive 60446 Modular Galactic Spaceship.

This giant spaceship is the biggest spacefaring craft out of the recent LEGO City space range and much of its design relies on aspects of 60430 Interstellar Spaceship, proving that the minimal model's legacy will live on in all shapes and sizes.

60430 Interstellar Spaceship isn't going anywhere in the meantime with its retirement currently planned for 2026. That gives you plenty of time to pick up the £17.99 / $19.99 / €19.99 model and enjoy an affordably stellar spaceship experience found not within LEGO Star Wars but within LEGO City.

Head here to check out all of our features looking back over 2024, including the year’s best sets and minifigures.

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