NOTES FROM THE UFO CHRONOLOGY
Straker sends Foster to take command of Moonbase for a month
after returning from leave and suggests he'll get a thrill
out of seeing Earthrise over the Haemus Mountains on the
moon. Returning to Earth a couple days later, after the
satellite incident in this story, Foster remarks he never did get to see
Earthrise. This seems to suggest that this was Foster's
first assignment as commander of Moonbase. For that reason,
I've placed this story shortly after
"Training" and before
"Conflict", an early
episode in which Foster is already depicted as commander of
Moonbase.
DIDJA NOTICE?
On page 18, Foster identifies himself to the SHADO computer
via voice-print, using the unit disguised as a cigarette box
on Straker's desk. The computer voice responds, "Voice
print...positive identification eight zero four...Foster,
Paul J." 804 was revealed to be Foster's SHADO code number
at the end of "Exposed".
|
On page 19, Straker suggests
that Foster might get a thrill out
of seeing Earthrise over the Haemus
Mountains on the moon. This is an
actual mountain range on the moon,
though more commonly referred to by
their Latin name, Montes Haemus. Is
this meant to suggest that Moonbase
is located near the Haemus range?
The range is located at the
coordinates 19.9° N, 9.2° E. (Photo
from the
Lupu Victor Astronomy page.) |
 |
One of the female space trackers at Moonbase in this story
is named Paula Harris. This was the name in early drafts of
the series treatment of the woman who later became Lt. Gay
Ellis on the TV show. Lt. Ellis herself also appears later
in the story.
Page 20 reveals that the holes the Interceptors emerge from
on the moon's surface are natural craters converted into
launch pads. Also revealed is that the Interceptor engines
are atomic-powered.
The object detected by Moonbase is discovered to be an
errant NASA satellite that was lost shortly after launch
four years previous. NASA, of course, is the United States'
official space agency, the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
Page 23 reveals that the bunks in the Sleep Sphere of
Moonbase have lights installed above them which flash in
hypnotic patterns that are meant to induce sleep.
Foster orders the unconscious Garret taken to sick bay.
Since none of the five spheres of Moonbase are referred to
as anything similar to "Medical", the sick bay must be in
the rectangular Central Park building at the center of
Moonbase.
Taken over by the mind control device on the errant
satellite during the space walk, Sanchez threatens Foster
with the laser gun he's using to sever the tethers and metal
seams of the satellite. Foster realizes that one blast from
the gun would mean his complete disintegration. This is
highly unlikely; the laser beam would have to be extremely
wide and powerful to effect the disintegration of an entire
human body. Rather, the beam would burn a whole through
Foster's spacesuit and into his body.
The photo on page 26 is a scene from
"Exposed".
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