Perry Rhodan is a long-running German science fiction series that began publication in September 1961. Unlike many series, Perry Rhodan doesn't consist of individual, standalone stories. Instead, it follows a continuous narrative that has spanned over six decades.

The series' initial story is set in 1971, coinciding with the first manned landing on the moon. Major Perry Rhodan, an American astronaut, discovers a crashed extraterrestrial spacecraft, the Arkonian AETRON. With the advanced technology found within, Rhodan unites Earth and leads humanity into the vast expanse of the universe.

In addition to the main series, several spin-offs have been released, some of which have also run for hundreds of issues. Since 2011, a reboot titled Perry Rhodan NEO has been published, releasing a 160-page book every two weeks.

A staple of the Perry Rhodan series is its iconic spacecraft. These vessels, often inspired by Arkonian technology, are typically spherical with a ring-shaped engine at their equator. Their size varies widely, from compact 100-meter cruisers to massive 2500-meter ultra-battleships. To complement these larger ships, the series also features a variety of smaller craft, such as fighter jets.

Every four weeks, the weekly booklets include detailed cross-sections of spacecraft, space stations, or other technical elements of the Perry Rhodan universe. In the late 1990s, Revell produced model kits of four iconic ships from the series.

Today, technology like 3D printing and scratchbuilding allowes to make custom-built models.