Posted by Marc Martin on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/the-method-of-propulsion-of-the-alien-vehicles-tp1509396p1509403.html

> I've not watched the episode for a year or so, but recall that on
> screen the elapsed time between following the UFO out of the solar
> system to receiving the (uncalibrated) photos back was meant to be
> only a few weeks, months at tops. Although it looked as though the
> probe used conventional rocket technology, in reality SHADO would have
> had to have mastered faster than light propulsion themselves, even to
> have got the probe to the nearest star!

Yes, that probe in CLOSE UP would need to be travelling faster than the
speed of light. Not very believable, but also note that the
Interceptors were travelling at faster than the speed of light as well
in that episode (you can hear them announcing the speeds in terms of
SOL, where SOL 1 is the speed of light).

It's best not to think about it too much... the script writers obviously
didn't! :-)

Marc