Zero-X
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Zero-X (spelling variants include: "Zero X" or "Zero - X") is a fictitious human spacecraft appearing in the Supermarionation productions of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Although publicity material for the various Supermarionation series, and the TV Century 21 comic book, made references to connections between the series, the Zero-X is the only confirmed connection between two series, appearing in the Thunderbirds feature film Thunderbirds are GO (1966) and in the first episode of the next Supermarionation series, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967).
Contents |
[edit] Construction
The first manned craft to land on Mars, Zero-X comprised of a heatproof nosecone with an aluminium exoskeleton, which was ejected upon atmospheric ingress or egress; a main body left in orbit of Mars; two detachable, re-usable, and remotely controlled "lifting bodies" (self-propelled aerofoils); and the Martian Exploration Vehicle (MEV).[1]
[edit] Appearances
[edit] Thunderbirds Are GO
Two years after the failure of the first Zero-X mission due to sabotage, a second Zero-X craft successfully reached Mars and the MEV touched down in September 2065. The mission was manned by three crew and two scientists:
- Paul Travers (Captain)
- Greg Martin (Co-Pilot)
- Brad Newman (Space Navigator)
- Dr. Tony Grant (Astrophysicist)
- Dr. Ray Pierce (Astrologist)
However, the lifting-body control-systems sustained damage during a confrontation with martian rock snakes, causing Zero-X to crash upon its return to Earth, landing in Craigsville, USA, roughly 20 miles from its launch site, the fictitious Glenn Field Spaceport, Nevada. The crew survived, having been saved at the last minute (quite literally) by International Rescue.[1]
[edit] Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
A further Zero-X mission returned to Mars in 2068 sponsored by Spectrum in search of the source of alien signals detected from Earth. The crew's hostile actions lead to a "war of nerves" with the Mysterons in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. After tracing the signals to an alien facility, the mission commander, Captain Black, gave the order to fire upon the facility after mistaking scanning devices for weapon emplacements and fearing they were about to be attacked. Following its devastation, the three men crew of the MEV then witnessed the miraculous rematerialisation (retrometabolism, in the language of the television program) of the Mysteron city, and for their act of aggression the Mysterons took control of Captain Black’s mind and body as the principal agent of their vengeance.[2]
It is never specified whether Black and the crew actually died on Mars, but when the Zero-X returned to Earth with Black as its only occupant, he vanished after the craft reached Glenn Field Spaceport, and it wasn’t long after this that the people of Earth received their first threat from the Mysterons from Mars.[3]
Although the Zero-X does not appear in Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet (2005), a reference is made to it using the lifting bodies for helping spaceships into orbit.
[edit] Trivia
- The commander of Zero X, Paul Travers, was modelled on Sean Connery, who was starring as James Bond at the time the film was made.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Thunderbirds are GO (1966), Century 21 Cinema/United Artists
- ^ Captain Scarlet and The Mysterons (1967), Century 21 Television/ITC - episode 1: "The Mysterons"
- ^ Captain Scarlet and The Mysterons, audio adventure, MA-151 - introducing Captain Scarlet
- ^ http://www.supermarionation-thunderbirdpuppets.com/
