Original subtitles

(intense music)

(cymbals clanging)

(alarm blares)

(upbeat music)

(mechanical whirring)

(alarm blares)

- Well, I think I found the trouble.

- What was wrong?

- A faulty power transistor.

I put in the spare unit and it's functioning perfectly.

- Well, we still better report it on our next transmission.

- Okay, if you think it's necessary.

- They can ship up another with the supply rocket.

- Yeah, if they don't delay blast off again.

It's three days overdue already.

- They won't, the countdown's well underway.

(anticipatory music)

- What's the latest computer readout?

- All systems go.

Fuel connections sever and vent closure minus 180.

- Good, looks like we've got ourselves a green bird.

How's the astronaut?

- Bio sensors check positive, he's ready to go, doctor.

(anticipatory music)

- Capsule temperature and pressure, normal.

- Fueling complete, vent closure minus five.

Blast off, minus 120.

- Fever charts? - A-okay.

- State of rocket?

- A-okay. - Rocket gyros?

- Fixed on track, a-okay. Blast off, minus 50.

(clicks)

(engines humming)

Computer gives launch window open, blast off minus 30.

(clicks)

Ignition system set, switching

to audio countdown, final 20 seconds.

- [Automated Voice] 20.

15. - Fever charts?

- Still a okay.

- [Automated Voice] 10, nine, eight,

seven, six, five, four, three,

two, one, zero.

(rocket roars)

- Release all umbilicals.

(rocket roars)

(beeps)

- Telemetry positive. (beeps)

(indistinct radio chatter)

- Check all primary circuits. - Checking circuits.

She looks good.

(beeps)

Stage one malfunction, she's going out of control.

- Get that astronaut out of there.

(dramatic music)

- Escape circuit negative. - What?

(dramatic music)

- It's no good. - Keep trying.

(dramatic music)

Set destruct system.

- You can't do that, the astronaut's still aboard.

- The rocket's trajectory I taking it

towards a residential area.

Set for destruct.

(dramatic music)

Destruct. - Sir.

- It's one life against hundreds,

including women and children.

Destroy that rocket, that's an order.

- Yes, sir.

(explodes)

(dramatic music)

- Well gentlemen, the second attempt to reach

the space station ended in disaster.

The men up there now have less than three days

air supply left.

- Mister Weston, this is a rescue operation,

not an assignment for Joe 90.

- What I'm gonna tell you now is classified information.

That space station is far more important than

even OCT suspects.

WIN commissioned it's construction.

And, when completed it will form the hub

of our new orbital radar system.

- I see. - Okay chief,

how do we tackle it?

- Sam, go to the OCT base and get another rocket

ready on the launch pad as fast as possible.

- Right. - Professor,

take Joe and get the brain pattern of Charles Drayton.

He's in Brentwell hospital.

- Oh, the injured astronaut? - Correct.

- It'll be just great uncle Sam.

I've always dreamt of traveling in space.

- This'll be more than a joy ride, Joe.

The lives of two men will depend on you.

- Right, rendezvous at the professor's college

in 12 hours.

(anticipatory music)

- How long will it take you to get another rocket

ready on the launch pad?

- We could do it in 36 hours, but what's the use?

Who's going to man it?

- World intelligence will supply the astronaut,

just get that rocket ready.

- I don't think you realize

what you're saying Mister Louver.

You just can't go and pick up an astronaut.

It takes years of training, Mister Louvre.

Mister Louver, come back here.

- He seemed in a tearing hurry, Doctor.

- All right, Crawford, they're going to try again.

Get the pad cleared and start moving in number three.

(dramatic music)

- Dobson, Weston here I want a space suit made in a hurry.

- Oh, that shouldn't be too difficult, sir.

We can alter the nearest standard size.

- I think you'll find this is a special.

Take down these measurements.

Chest, 26 inches. - 26 inches.

- Waist 22 inches. - 22 inches?

- Neck, 11 inches. - 11 inches?

- Hip, 24 inches. - 24 inches.

Excuse me, sir, did you said waist 22?

There must be some mistake.

- There's no mistake.

- But sir, what's the astronaut's--

- Stop arguing will you, I want this space suit.

Give it top priority.

If you wanna know his height it's four foot four.

- Ah, you mean five foot four.

- Four foot four. - Four foot four?

- Four foot four.

(sentimental music)

- Well Joe, there's our man.

Let's get on with it. - Yes Dad.

- We'll set up the portable transmitter on that table.

(beeps)

(mechanical whirring) (beeps)

(beeps)

(mechanical whirring) (beeps)

(beeps)

(dramatic music)

- The rocket'll be on the pad at 1500 hours.

- Good, now I want a round the clock check on every

circuit, every valve, every pump, every single detail

of that rocket.

And, when it's been checked once do it again.

- Yes, sir. - This time

we've got to reach that space station.

(alarm blares)

- How's everything going?

- Just routine, nothing to report.

But, I feel kind of tired.

- Could be the air supply, I'll check it.

(mechanical whirring)

- All right Joe, you now have a brain pattern enabling you

to pilot and navigate the OC2 19 supply rocket.

How do you feel?

- I'm ready to go.

- So far we're right on schedule.

Let's get to the base. Blast off dawn tomorrow.

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

- I don't see the point of all this secrecy, Mister Weston.

- Just play it our way, Doctor.

All you have to do is make sure that rocket is ready.

(engine whirs)

- How's the suit, Joe?

- Just fine, Uncle Sam.

- Good, well we're right on schedule.

We'll be arriving at the rocket base 90 minutes

before blast off.

- I'm all set, Uncle Sam.

(engine whirs)

- Half an hour? - I'm afraid so.

We've located a fault in the onboard computer link.

- But, we can't afford a 30 minute delay.

- Well restart the count down as soon as possible.

- I just hope it doesn't cost two lives.

- Is that all control said?

- Yes, just a technical hitch, nothing serious.

- Technical hitch, well that's the second postponement.

Just where does that leave us?

- That leaves us to carry on as usual.

- Not quite, I checked that air supply.

We've got less than seven hours oxygen left.

(dramatic music)

- How much longer?

- We're doing all we can.

(anticipatory music)

(beeps)

- Yes chief? - The countdown's restarted.

Move in. - Right.

(engine whirs)

- There's only an hour to go, Mister Weston.

Where is your man?

- Our (clears throat) man will be arriving any time now.

(engine whirs)

- Right, a security truck has just arrived at the gate.

- That's him, let it pass.

I'm going over to the pad, and remember I want no one

within 100 yards of that gantry till after blastoff.

(engine whirs)

- Shall we try and see who it is, sir?

- No, WIN must have their reasons for keeping him incognito.

(engine whirs)

- Right driver, get over to the control building

and stay there.

- Well, there goes the lift.

Whoever it is I wish him luck.

(anticipatory music)

- Check all primary systems.

- We just did, sir.

- Don't argue Crawford, do it.

- He's getting pretty tense.

- This is the last chance, Mack.

Those men in the space station have less than

two hours oxygen supply left.

(alarms blare)

- Try to hang on.

(alarms blare)

- Rocket charters. - Positive fix.

- Ignition system. - Minus 160.

- Vents? - How long to go?

- Estimate about three minutes.

- All a okay.

- On board computer. - A okay.

(anticipatory music)

- Blast off minus 120.

- Watch those fever charts. - Yes, doctor.

Fueling complete, closing vents.

(clicks)

We have launch window open.

All tracker stations positive.

Computer reports space station OP positive for rendezvous.

- Set ignition system, switch to audio countdown.

- [Automated Voice] 20,

15,

10, nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one,

zero. - Ignition.

(rocket fires)

- Release all umbilicals.

(rocket roars)

- Good luck, Joe.

(rocket roars)

(beeps)

- It's good. - She's gonna make it.

(indistinct radio chatter)

(beeps)

(rocket roars)

- Bingo. (explosion)

(indistinct radio chatter)

- Second stage ignition positive.

- So far so good.

(rocket roars)

- Cabin temperature five zero degrees,

pressure three eight point six.

All primary circuits positive.

- It sounds like a girl.

- Get on with the job.

- This is base reading you loud and clear.

We'll give resets for IGS in three minutes.

- Changing attitude one eight zero degrees for rendezvous.

- Radar fix is good, will relay IGS resets

direct from tracker station.

(mechanical whirring)

Check roll, pitch, and yaw.

Predict visual contact with space station

four minutes. - Roger base.

(alarms blare) (mechanical whirring)

(dramatic music)

(alarms blare) (mechanical whirring)

Have visual contact with space station.

Switching to manual control for rendezvous.

(mechanical whirring) (alarm blares)

Space module to OCT station, open rendezvous adapter

and switch on docking lights.

Module to OCT station, come in please. Come in OCT.

Module to base, I'm going for rendezvous,

but OCT station does not answer.

- What's happened? - I don't know.

The men have probably passed out through lack of oxygen.

Call it off. - Yes, sir.

- Base to module abandon rendezvous.

Repeat, abandon rendezvous.

- Sorry base, continuing with mission, out.

- What are his chances of making it?

- One tiny error of judgment and that capsule

will be ripped to pieces.

(mechanical whirring) (alarms blare)

Supply module in position.

- He's docked successfully.

(uplifting music)

(alarms blare)

- Supply module to base, supply module to base,

mission successful, but have damaged homing aerial

during docking maneuver.

Repeat, have damaged homing aerial.

Switching to stand by procedure, out.

- Doesn't that mean--

- It means your astronaut will have to navigate

reentry and landing manually.

(alarms blare)

(beeps) (alarms blare)

(alarms blare)

(mechanical whirring)

- Retro fire in minus two nine,

heat shield in position now.

(beeps)

- He's 1.5 degrees off.

(anticipatory music)

The reentry angle's still wrong, he must correct it.

(anticipatory music)

He's leaving it too late, he'll burn up.

(anticipatory music)

He's corrected the angle, he's doing just fine.

- He's gonna make it.

(anticipatory music)

(beeps)

(upbeat music)

- When I woke up this morning it still seemed like a dream.

All I can say is thanks.

- No need for that, it's what we're here for, doctor.

- You explained that because of security I can't meet

the astronaut, but everyone on the base reckons

it was just about the greatest display of astronautics

we've ever seen.

- Ready to go, Sam?

- Joe, doctor this is professor McClain's son, Joe.

- Oh, would Joe like to look around the base?

I know most boys are interested in rockets.

- Oh, that'd be wonderful, but don't get too technical

Doctor, he's only nine.

(dramatic music)

(upbeat music)