Sun Probe 

An exciting mission to the sun runs into trouble when their retro rockets fail to fire. International rescue springs into action using a two pronged plan to get a signal to the doomed ship.... See full summary »

Director:

David Lane

Writer:

Alan Fennell (teleplay by)

Stars:

Sylvia Anderson, Ray Barrett, Peter Dyneley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Sylvia Anderson	...	(credit only)
Ray Barrett	...	Colonel Harris / Colonel Benson (voice)
Peter Dyneley	...	Jeff Tracy / Professor Heinz Bodman (voice)
Christine Finn	...	Tin-Tin Kyrano (voice)
David Graham	...	Gordon Tracy / Brains / Kyrano / Solarnaut Asher / Braman (voice)
David Holliday	...	Virgil Tracy (voice)
Shane Rimmer	...	Scott Tracy (voice)
Matt Zimmerman	...	Alan Tracy / TV Reporter (voice)

Storyline

An exciting mission to the sun runs into trouble when their retro rockets fail to fire. International rescue springs into action using a two pronged plan to get a signal to the doomed ship. The mission succeeds but suddenly International Rescue discover they themselves are in need of rescue

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Plot Keywords:

international rescue | the sun | sun | human in outer space | eyeglasses | 

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Drama | Family | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1965 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

AP Films (APF),Associated Television (ATV)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

49 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The launch of the Sun Probe at the start of the "The Perils of Penelope" is the same event that was seen in flashback at the start of this episode. The events of that episode take place one week after the launch, so this episode takes place immediately before. Indeed, "The Perils of Penelope" and "Sun Probe" can be viewed as Thunderbirds' only two-part story, although they have never been broadcast as consecutive episodes.

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Goofs

When Alan, Tin-Tin and Scott set off for Thunderbird 3 on the sofa, Alan is on the left, with Tin-Tin between him and Scott. As the sofa descends into the launch bay and ferries the trio to Thunderbird 3, Alan and Scott have swapped positions, but by the time the sofa arrives on board the spacecraft they are in their original positions again.

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Connections

Edited into Turbocharged Thunderbirds: Sun Probe (1995)

User Reviews

One of the standouts of the series, and the best of the Thunderbird 3 rescues

Sun Probe is an episode most people think of when it comes to Thunderbirds. It may take its time to set the scene, and the Rocket launch at the beginning is dragged out, but when it gets going it becomes hugely entertaining.

This is the best of the Thunderbird 3 rescues, and it's efforts to rescue the crew are the usual tense moments. I like how the puppets are seen sweating in the heat, it makes the situation more realistic. What makes it even more dramatic, and something that may not have worked, is when the Spaceship runs into difficultly itself, making Virgil and Brains save their own team. This has always worked well in the series, and is used to great effect here.

A great episode and one of the standouts of the series.