Space Shuttle And Toy Rocket Ship Set - 10 Piece Complex 39 Launch Site with Astronauts, Rockets, Space Shuttle, and Ground Vehicle - Measures 15"

My son is 3 1/2 and loves the space shuttle and loves, loves, loves this set. We've had several similar metal space shuttles and I had even made an external tank and rocket boosters out of cardboard tubes for him to use with his shuttles. After I misplaced his last space shuttle I decided to order him this set as a replacement and I'm so glad I did, he loves it. It was a bit pricey (his normal metal shuttles cost $8-$10 to replace) but this kit included the external tank, the rocket boosters, the launch platform and astronauts. The external tank and boosters are a heavy duty plastic and detach from each other and the shuttle. My son has been playing with this set for a month now and everything has survived the launch explosions and high altitude crashes with minimal wear. I would definitely buy this kit again for him.

I loved the toy on reception; our 3yo has a serious shuttle obsession so he was delighted. Initially though, we had the same issue others ran into: a couple of small parts very quickly broke, which was disappointing. I emailed Echo Toys through their web site and not only did they graciously send us a replacement shuttle but added some activity books. The new model is holding up pretty good so far. So maybe it's not perfect but the people behind it do care.

There are a lot of different Space Shuttle toys out there to choose from and it can be tough to pick one. There are a lot of negative reviews all around, so it can be a little bit of needle in the haystack. This one may just be the needle.There are some reviews that say the SRB (Solid Rocket Boosters) do not separate from the ET (External Tanker), I suspect these reviews refer to an older version of this toy, as the SRBs do in fact detach from this unit and I did not have to make the modifications suggested by one of the reviewers. The SRBs and ET are both hardened hollow plastic and I can see their demise in the not to distant future if my son plays with them too roughly, especially the ET as it seems made of thinner material than the SRB, but after a week of play we are still in good shape thus far.The Robotic Arm for the shuttle is a wasted piece and ours has already been lost. My son never really got what it was for anyway so I don't think it is a huge loss, but it and the satellite (also misplaced) count as parts of this "10 piece set".The truck and astronauts are nice throw ins. Since they are not remotely to scale there is not much you can do with them, but that's okay when you have a five year old using his imagination to get the astronauts into the shuttle and lifting off.The shuttle itself is pretty sturdy. The Bay Doors will likely get torn off and lost eventually, but again, so far so good.My son plays with this more than anything else he got for Christmas this year, so we have nothing but good to say on this one. It does not receive 5 stars because of the uselessness of the satellite and robotic arm, but otherwise a very fun piece for my son, and a great way to remember this remarkable piece of machinery.

The kid in my family who loves space shuttles loved this today big time!! Every part disconnects from the other parts. Astronauts can't fit inside the shuttle of course, but then they'd be a choking hazard. We just love it. I can see where, if it gets dropped the 'right' way, something would break, but the kid is being very careful to make sure it all stays intact, while still enjoying zooming it all around. (I only wish the astronaut's weight was distributed better so they would stand up.)

Our preschooler loves this toy. As other reviewers have noted, the "robotic arm" is incredibly flimsy. We removed it almost as soon as we set it up, as the little pieces constantly fall apart and are easily swallowed by younger children. We had similar concerns for the solar panels on the space telescope. But, even with those parts removed, our preschooler loves this toy. We have had it for three months and it is played with frequently and not-very-gentley. It spends its non-play time tossed in the bottom of a toy trunk. And yet, even the plastic connector pins to snap the boosters, fuel tank, and shuttle are intact and functional.

Update: 7.5 years later, still beloved! I just received a text message from my nephew, (now 11!) That he still cherishes it as a favorite. It's held up to the test of time.Original post (2012):I bought this as a gift for my 4 year old nephew who is crazy about space shuttles. He has all kinds, but none with a booster like this one. I was very impressed by the size of it. It elicited a great reaction and it was immediately taken from the package and was flown about the house, the boy twice approached me and explained "Auntie, I REALLLLY like this toy!!!" So it was WELL worth it. He is relatively gentle on toys, but the little brother is not, and so far has withstood constant detaching, reattaching, dropping (on hardwood) and intense love. So far so good!Oh - and the little extras are a nice touch, but haven't been played with. Just not as cool as the detachable booster and rockets I guess!

Good design but of poor product quality. The left rear wheel broke and dropped off from the space shuttle when the product arrived. It could not be re-attached to the shuttle as the part was really a defective one. And the paint finish on the shuttle shows signs of wear off. Upon closer inspection of the packing box, it looks like it may be a product return as the box was sealed with cheap glue tape with poor craftsmanship.