Spaceships are an essential part of the LEGO product portofilio
Following the introduction of LEGO Star Wars in 1999, classic LEGO Space themes like Futuron and Blacktron took a backseat to the galaxy far, far away. A handful of in-house space related themes cropped up during the 2000s, but it wouldn’t be until the 2010s that spaceships would truly find their place again.
The likes of Alien Conquest, Galaxy Squad and a rebooted Space Police kept LEGO space based themes a consistent presence on shelves in the early 2010s while rekindling some of the goofy charm of classic LEGO Space themes. These themes often only lasted for a year or so before being replaced, but that didn’t stop them from having some amazing spaceships worthy of trusting on an intergalactic adventure. And now Icons has taken on the challenge of building the next generation of spaceships, with some models that reinvent classic favourites.
Join Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine for adult fans, on a trip to the stars in search of the best modern LEGO spaceships…
7065 Alien Mothership
It’s not too often that the enemy faction gets itself a flagship set, but with the aliens taking centre stage in 2011’s Alien Conquest, it was fitting that the invaders had an armada capable of taking over Earth. 7065 Alien Mothership is the crown jewel of the aliens’ fleet, home to their commanding general. The ship itself is built in the style of a classic UFO, although hollowed out slightly. That doesn’t leave too much interior space on the ship — just enough for the single general figure — but the impressive footprint and neon green highlights make the mothership a set well worth owning.
5974 Galactic Enforcer
The LEGO Space Police more than have their work cut out through them, with so many spacefaring criminals running about that they’ve had to be called upon three separate times over the years. Space Police III launched in 2009, updating the classic theme for modern audiences. The command ship for the next generation of Space Police was 5974 Galactic Enforcer, a rather intense cruiser. The ship has all sorts of protruding details — the ragged engines and exterior cell pods being the standouts. Using white as its base colour and trans-blue for its windscreens, the Galactic Enforcer feels more than ready to take on the galaxy’s worst criminals.
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10355 Blacktron Renegade
The first remake on the list, 2025’s 10355 Blacktron Renegade is a modern upgrade to the classic Blacktron ship. And the set more than accomplishes what it sets out to do, capturing the spirit of old LEGO Blacktron sets while using swaths of new pieces, resulting in a model that’s satisfyingly modern yet perfectly classic. The ship’s unique shape is a big part of what makes it so striking — it’s not your ordinary kind of spaceship. The black and trans-neon green pieces make for one of the most visually striking LEGO Space colour schemes as well, giving no doubt as to why the Renegade earned itself a modern upgrade.
70816 Benny’s Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP!
There’s perhaps nothing from 2014’s The LEGO Movie as memorable as the cheerful Classic Space astronaut Benny and his totally rational obsession with all things spaceships. When he’s finally able to build the ship of his dreams, he channels his inner Classic Space fan and ends up with a ship that’s a hybrid between modern building techniques and the charm of Classic Space. 70816 Benny’s Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! brings the on-screen ship to life. It has the vibe of a Classic Space set, while also being undeniably modern, using some of Benny’s wacky spirit into all sorts of tubing, lasers, and fun angles. The printed details are faithful to Classic Space sets, too, with arrows pointing towards all of the available play features.
10497 Galaxy Explorer
Another reimaged classic set, 10497 Galaxy Explorer released in 2022 as a remake of the Classic Space set of the same name. The modern set does share the same general layout and concept as the original, but the similarities just about end there. Where the original just used a few layers of plates, 10497 breaks out all sorts of new parts and building techniques, capturing the ship’s angles in much sleeker ways. There’s also plenty of interior space for the four included astronauts to pilot the ship and hang out. The rear of the ship also has storage for the small rover and can even open to deploy it on scouting missions once it lands — something made much easier thanks to its retractable landing gear.
What’s your favourite of the modern LEGO spaceships? Let Blocks know on any of our social media channels.