Journey Into Space: The World In Peril

Journey Into Space was a BBC Radio science fiction serial first broadcast from 1953 to 1956. Three series were originally broadcast, all written and produced by Charles Chilton.

The first series, Operation Luna, was originally titled Journey To The Moon and broadcast in 1953/4. The first four episodes, set on Earth, were not popular with audiences, but the serial grew in popularity when the story blasted off for space in episode five. The tapes of this first series were erased, but the series was re-recorded and re-broadcast in 1958, under the new title Operation Luna, but with the first four episodes omitted. The second series, The Red Planet, was the last time that a BBC radio show achieved a higher rating than its TV opponent.

Operation Luna followed the adventures of Captain ‘Jet’ Morgan and his crew, as they attempt the first Moon landing, only to encounter a fleet of UFOs who send them back in time.

The second series, The Red Planet, broadcast in 1954/5, sees Jet and his crew travelling to Mars, where they discover a plot by the Martians to invade Earth.

The third series, The World In Peril, broadcast in 1955/6, was a direct continuation of the story begun in series two, and followed Jet Morgan and his crew's return to Mars in an attempt to avert the impending Martian invasion.

The Return From Mars was a revival of Journey Into Space, written by Charles Chilton for Radio 4’s Saturday Night Theatre in 1981, and continues the story from approximately the end of The World In Peril, with the crew returning to Earth after thirty years in space, missing presumed dead.

Frozen In Time was another stand-alone story, written by Charles Chilton and broadcast in 2008. Returning from a trip to Neptune, the crew awaken from suspended animation in order to rescue a stranded mining expedition on Mars.

The Host was a further one-off episode, this time written by Julian Simpson, and broadcast in 2009, which sees the crew thwart the plans of a sentient information being to take over the Universe.
Episode 1

​April 15, 1972. The Discovery and two freighters return to the Moon from the disastrous Mars expedition. The crew are subjected to intense questioning about their experiences on Mars, and Lemmy discovers that the Discovery is being readied for take off. Back on Earth, they visit an astronomer who has spotted suspicious objects in the heavens.

​First broadcast: 26 September 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 2

​Jet and Lemmy go to investigate the objects in an orbital rocket, but are sent to sleep for 24 hours by a strange noise. Film footage suggests the asteroids are actually spacecraft carriers. Jet discovers that a spaceship has crashed in the Lake District. Jet and Doc enter the ship.

First broadcast: 3 October 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, John Cazabon.
Episode 3

The crew and the Lunar Controller try to locate the crew of the crashed ship. They interview Moore, a commercial traveller who may have had contact with the crew of the ship, who recounts his experience. The crew are ordered back to Mars and are driven to an airfield, but the car crashes when the crew tackle the 'Conditioned Type' driver.

First broadcast: 10 October 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, Fred Yule, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 4

The crew fly to Australia, then on a ship to the Moon. While preparing for the voyage to Mars, they spot unidentified objects on the lunar horizon. The take off is complicated by strange communication with control, suggesting the Moon base has been infiltrated.
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​First broadcast: 17 October 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 5

The Discovery gets away safely, but the crew cannot establish contact with Moon control, so Lemmy contacts Earth. After ships from Earth to the Moon are lost, the crew concludes that the Moon has fallen under Martian control. While refuelling from Freighter 1, Jet and Lemmy hear a strange wailing voice.

​First broadcast: 24 October 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass.
Episode 6

The crew slow the ship down, and discuss where on Mars to land and the objectives of the trip. They regain contact with the strange voice, discovering it is a very confused Frank Rogers, ex-crewman of Freighter 2.

​First broadcast: 31 October 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs.
Episode 7

Thinking Frank may be there, the crew decide to land near the wreck of Freighter 2, but Jet and Mitch discover it to be empty. From the Discovery, Doc and Lemmy spot a fleet of Martian spheres approaching.

​First broadcast: 7 November 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs.
Episode 8

Jet and Mitch fail to make it back to Discovery, and the crew all pass out as the ships approach. They wake up in a dark room and figure that they must be on one of the moons of Mars. They discover an unconscious man in the room, find that Jet is missing, and a door in the floor opens.
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​First broadcast: 14 November 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs.
Episode 9

Jet is found under his bed and the unconscious man is found to be Frank Rogers. Doc tries to bring Frank out of his conditioned state, and he reveals that the invasion is under way. Jet and Lemmy go through the floor, and are directed by the voice of Paddy Flynn.

​First broadcast: 21 November 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Pat Campbell.
Episode 10

Frank regains some of his memory, revealing that the crew are aboard an asteroid ship. Jet and Lemmy meet Paddy face to face, and he reveals that he is the rebel captain of the asteroid, working with Jack Evans. Paddy receives orders to have the asteroid join the invasion fleet.

​First broadcast: 28 November 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Pat Campbell.
Episode 11

Paddy leaves the crew, who learn how to manipulate the 'visionphone'. As Mitch and Frank follow them along a circular corridor using the cameras, Jet, Lemmy and Doc hear a voice they assume to be a Martian, ordering them back.

​First broadcast: 5 December 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Pat Campbell.
Episode 12

Jet, Lemmy and Doc ignore the Martian's warnings to turn back, and Jet is knocked out after touching a door at the end of the corridor. The crew persuades Paddy to set the ship on course for Mars, so they can warn Earth of the invasion. However, he loses control and is injured.

​First broadcast: 12 December 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Pat Campbell.
Episode 13

The asteroid is in chaos and the crew discover Asteroid 786/738 is on its way to sort it out. Mitch and Lemmy go to fetch a bed for Paddy, but become lost and enter the Martian's lair. They hear a familiar voice but can't place it. Paddy dies, and Mitch and Lemmy discover that Jack Evans is really the Lunar Controller, who has been in league with the Martians from the start.

​First broadcast: 19 December 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Pat Campbell, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 14

The Lunar Controller tells Mitch and Lemmy that the invasion will be facilitated by a hypnotic television broadcast. Jet and Doc go on a search for the others, and follow conditioned crew members onto the asteroid surface. Wearing Martian suits, they investigate a large sphere, but become stranded on the surface.

​First broadcast: 26 December 1955.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 15

While the Lunar Controller is away, Jet and Doc enter his quarters from the asteroid surface. Mitch and Lemmy explain what has happened to them, and they hatch a plan to imprison the Lunar Controller and escape.

​First broadcast: 2 January 1956.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 16

The crew imprison the Lunar Controller and gain his assistance by threatening to release him into space. Lemmy smashes up the computerised brain to stop messages being sent to the rest of the Martian fleet. Frank pilots the ship as they escape the asteroid and set course for Mars, but they find the Discovery has been plundered.

​First broadcast: 9 January 1956.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 17

The crew head into orbit, transfer to Freighter 1 and, using a modified radio transmitter, attempt to contact Earth, but they cannot get their warning about the invasion through. They spot the asteroid invasion fleet approaching them from behind. Jet decides to use all remaining fuel to set course for Earth, in order to increase their chances of warning Earth of the invasion.

​First broadcast: 16 January 1956.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 18

The asteroid fleet increases speed and overtakes Freighter 1. Jet records a warning to Earth, to be transmitted on a loop. Attempts to hypnotise the crew fail, so the Martian contacts the crew using their voices. Freighter 1 crashes onto the surface of a large asteroid.

​First broadcast: 23 January 1956.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 19

Lemmy fails to contact Earth, but they are contacted by the Martian who tells them to enter the asteroid ship. The Martian reveals that he is the only one left of a race of giants, and explains his reasons for the invasion. A crew from the asteroid, including ex-freighter man Harding, forcibly remove the crew from Freighter 1.

​First broadcast: 30 January 1956.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.
Episode 20

The crew are shown to luxurious quarters aboard the asteroid, and cruise to Earth as part of the invasion fleet. They are ordered to the Martian's quarters, where they are dismayed to discover that Earth has not followed their instruction to shut down all television channels. Depressed by their failure, they watch as the Martian fleet begins to orbit the Earth. As they wait for the Martian's broadcast, the set goes dead. They are overjoyed to learn that the channels have at last been shut down. The Martian peacefully accepts defeat and allows all those in his command to return to Earth. A considerable number, however, choose to remain in the Martian's fleet, and to establish a perfect civilisation in another solar system, free from persecution, hunger, misgovernment and war.

​First broadcast: 6 February 1956.
Original Story by Charles Chilton.
​Cast: Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Don Sharp, Alfie Bass, David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern.