interceptor

Well, I shot myself in the foot there! Ouch!

Yeah, I forgot the little detail of Mars and Earth's orbital
relationship and how it changes....Duh!

Speaking of making no sense, I just finished watching "Close Up" and
boy, is this one loaded with big holes!

First off, Straker's B-142 Space Probe is supposed to track a UFO
back to it's home planet. This is ludicrous on two counts:

(1) Why would a UFO allow it to be followed by an Earth
spacecraft...the B-142 should have been vaporized early in the
journey.

(2) Although the B-142 looks like a conventional spaceprobe with a
typical rocket exhaust, it must somehow reach many times the speed of
light to keep up with the UFO and be able to track it to it's home
planet...

Any thoughts?

Doug

I just checked, and it's: Space Observation Platform 'Watchdog' from the
episode "Reflections in the water".

Griff

<snip> I believe that the satellites are called Bulldog satellites or at
least that is what I thought I heard them called in one episode.

James K. <snip>

"Doug" wrote:

Of course CLOSE UP is ludicrous b****cks from start to finish,
but it's enjoyable b****cks, so I'll see if I can come up with a
plausible explanation on its behalf.

Obviously [ :D ] the rocket motor is only used for initial
manoeuvreing - the B-142 is a stealth probe which keeps up by
occupying part of the UFOs warp field. Perhaps the more
remarkable point is that it's capable of evading detection while
in orbit around the Alien homeworld.

Pretty good analysis on your part. This was one of my all time favorites.
The idea behind the probe was great. Track the alien back to its origin and
learn all you can. Then something goes wrong. It is not destroyed but it might
have well have been. The episode should have been called a matter of perspective.
scott


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Very well done Dave. Remember though it is science fiction. I am just glad
that the Andersons were able to put UFO on the air. scott


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----- Original Message -----
From: <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: [SHADO] Re: planetary based SIDs


> Very well done Dave. Remember though it is science fiction. I am just
glad
> that the Andersons were able to put UFO on the air. scott
>

-------------------------------------------------------------


UFO was my all time favourite show as a kid. It basically set up my
interests in space and aviation for the rest of my life. Gerry was my hero,
dispite of all his flaws that came to light later on.

I just find it fun to rattle it's cage. It's such an easy target : )

Dave H.

--- In [hidden email], "Griff" <griff@g...> wrote:
> I know it's always going to be a matter of conjecture, ...

Whichever way we argue this, we run into a contradiction within canon
or an unrealistic fudge. My way out would be to give the Interceptor
pilots full space-type pressure suits. That would also often save an
Interceptor pilot's life if his cockpit canopy is punctured by debris
from an exploding UFO or by a bit of ordinary orbiting space junk.
Likely the Interceptor pilots in the show were given the open
riotsquad-type half-visors rather then closed helmets, to make them
more human and more like "goodies". Compare in Star Wars where in the
space battle the X-wings' pilots had open faces and the Empire's
fighter pilots had closed black masks with eyeholes and breathing
tubes.

I am such a fan of the Andersons that i even love SPACE1999. I even liked
Sylvia though her commentary in TIMELASH just about drove me crazy.
scott


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That's because those Imperial outfits ARE Spacesuits. Both the Rebels and the Empire use very small forcefields to protect pilots who "Eject" from spacecraft. Don't ask me what they use to power them, but it is covered in both the SW comics and the games that this is how they protect their pilots.
Those running around inside giant asteroid worms with only a "Breather mask" on, on the other hand...
By the way, the good guys always show their faces and the bad guys hide them. UFO is the same with the Riot Helments vs Full helments with tinted faceplates. Not that it ever seemed to do either side much good when hit.
Anthony Appleyard <[hidden email]> wrote:
--- In [hidden email], "Griff" wrote:
> I know it's always going to be a matter of conjecture, ...

Whichever way we argue this, we run into a contradiction within canon
or an unrealistic fudge. My way out would be to give the Interceptor
pilots full space-type pressure suits. That would also often save an
Interceptor pilot's life if his cockpit canopy is punctured by debris
from an exploding UFO or by a bit of ordinary orbiting space junk.
Likely the Interceptor pilots in the show were given the open
riot squad-type half-visors rather then closed helmets, to make them
more human and more like "goodies". Compare in Star Wars where in the
space battle the X-wings' pilots had open faces and the Empire's
fighter pilots had closed black masks with eye holes and breathing
tubes


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