Thunderbirds (TV series)/Recap/S1/E11 Sun Probe

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


The Sun Probe, a daring attempt to retrieve solar matter directly from a coronal mass ejection, is launched without a hitch. Indeed, the whole mission goes swimmingly until it's time for the rocket to break solar orbit - the intense heat and radiation has jammed the controls as well as blocking override transmissions from Earth. Unless the Probe can break orbit, the heat and radiation will overwhelm and destroy the probe and the three astronauts inside.

Not so, cries International Rescue, launching a dual-pronged attempt. Thunderbird 2 flies to the Himalayas armed with a mobile computer and a transmitter truck - because, you know, a massive dish mounted on a halftrack has to be more powerful than Houston's satellite farm - while Thunderbird 3 blasts off to attempt to get close enough to fire the Probe's rockets by remote. The crew of TB3 succeed - but are themselves trapped! Fortunately, the trransmitter truck is able to get through to Thunderbird 3 and override their systems just in time.


Brains: I don't think they're gonna make it.
Jeff: But everything's going fine!
Announcer: Wait. Something's gone wrong.