Lunnaya raduga aka Moon Rainbow - Gallery (1983)

 

An impressive number of suits in this film and at least two helmet types.

Steve

Raumpatrouille Orion (1966)

Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion to give it its' full title is a 7 episode German science fiction show from way back in 1966.  The literal translation is: Space Patrol - The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion but it is also known as Raumpatrouille Orion, and Space Patrol Orion  Originally broadcast by ARD beginning 17 September 1966, the single series show was repeated many times and has over the years acquired something of a cult status.  As such there are 145 novels based on and continuing the series that have been published over the years, often taking the show into new horizons.  Hopefully we'll have a look at a few covers soon.  For now enjoy the spacesuit stills gallery from the show it's self.

 

 

Steve

Lunnaya raduga aka Moon Rainbow (1983)

After a strange incident while on a mission to Uranus' moon; Oberon, four members of the eponymous vessel Lunnaya Radugaa begin to develop supernatural powers. But how did they acquire such abilities and what are their intentions? The Space Security Service and World Health Organization are called in to investigate.

 

Steve

Ministry of Space by Warren Ellis and Chris Weston (2004)

Just a few pages from the rather brilliant comic/graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Chris Weston.  Its a joy to read and almost even better to look at.

 

It's a nice big slice of alternative history that would makes you proud to be British if it weren't for the...   no go buy a copy and find out for yourself.

 

 

Steve

The Young Scientist Book of Space Flight (1976)

The Young Scientist Book of Space Flight is a much loved book from my childhood and might go some way towards explaining why I find all of this sort of stuff interesting.  Published by Usborne in 1976, it was a mixture of space fact and speculation and contained any number of experiments and projects designed to entertain a generation deprived of anything more than 3 TV channels or home computers and the internet.  And yet interestingly I felt I was living in the future far more back then than I do now, which is probably thoughts for a different more political blog than this one.

Any how, what follows are some of the more entertaining illustrations which are still surprisingly sharp considering how much I wore them out with my eyes. 

 

I first mentioned this book a few weeks back in my post about Plymouth (1991) and how the customised space helmets in the TV pilot reminded me of images from a kids book, well this is it below.

And now the money shot, or at least half a money shot if such a thing can exist. At the end of the book is a two page spread where everything we've learned comes together in a panoramic view of the future.  Here's just the fist page, which contains most of the action.  I lost hours starring through this window.  Marvel at the future font, the certainty of the words, the jet pack, the moon buggy and the heraldic icons adorning those spacemen, living and working on the moon

That's so good its almost pornographic and that's why you only get to see half of it.


Steve

Survival by Alan Gutierrez (1980)

Survival by Alan Gutierrez (1980)

Also featured here

on the book by Gordon R. Dickson, commissioned and published by Baen Books, 1984

And here are a couple of other nice pieces by the same talent:

Steve

To the Stars the Hard Way (1981)

To the Stars the Hard Way AKA Per Aspera Ad Astraeen to give it its original Russian title is a 1981 Soviet film directed by Richard Viktorov based on a novel by Kir Bulychov

 

In December 2001 a new restored version directed by Nikolai Viktorov, the original director's son, was released as an anniversary edition.  This version featured revised special effects and soundtrack and 25 minutes worth of edits to sharpen the pace and lessen some of the old Soviet ideology

 

There is a further edited and dubbed version under the title of  Humanoid Woman but you should probably just give that one a miss.

Happy 2015
Steve