Orbiter X
Orbiter X was a BBC Radio space adventure serial broadcast from 28th September to 28th December 1959. Written by B.D. Chapman and produced by Charles Maxwell, the series centred on the adventures of the plucky British astronauts tasked with the construction of an orbiting space station (the titular Orbiter X). When contact is lost with the first construction ship, a rescue mission is despatched, only to discover they have been led into a trap — some unknown entity has their own plans for the space station…
Episode 1: The First Step To The Stars
Contact is lost with Orbiter I following a collision in space. A rescue mission, Orbiter II, is despatched, only to find the first ship abandoned. First broadcast: 28 September 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Donald Bisset, John Witty, Peter Noel Cook, Francis Hall. |
Episode 2: Conflict In Space
Orbiter II is disabled after being attacked by a UFO. The crew are forced to transfer to the UFO and are transported to an unknown destination. First broadcast: 5 October 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Donald Bisset, Arthur Lawrence, John Matthews, Francis Hall. |
Episode 3: The Master Plan
Held captive by the Unity organisation, the crew are invited to join them in their quest for a world government controlled by scientists. First broadcast: 12 October 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Arthur Lawrence, Gerik Schjelderup, Irene Prador, John Witty. |
Episode 4: Flight To The Moon
Escaping from captivity, the crew find themselves aboard a rocket heading for the Unity base on the Moon. First broadcast: 19 October 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Gerik Schjelderup, Donald Bisset, Leslie Perrins, Peter Noel Cook. |
Episode 5: Inside The Moon Station
The Unity rocket lands in quicksand, but the crew are rescued and taken to the Moonbase. They hatch an escape plan using a lunar probe sent from Earth. First broadcast: 26 October 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Gerik Schjelderup. |
Episode 6: Breakaway
Captain Britton manages to send a garbled radio message to Earth warning of the Unity organisation. Meanwhile, McClelland and Hicks implement the escape plan. First broadcast: 2 November 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Gerik Schjelderup, Ian Sadler, John Cazabon, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook. |
Episode 7: The Price of Survival
In return for rescuing McClelland and Hicks, who are on board an out of control lunar probe, Captain Britton agrees to help Unity assemble the Orbiter X space station. First broadcast: 9 November 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Gerik Schjelderup, Arthur Lawrence, Ian Sadler, Donald Bisset, Leslie Perrins. |
Episode 8: Marooned In Space
Captain Britton and the crew take a tour around the Orbiter X components on board a 'space chariot'. Meanwhile, Captain Bradley, the commander of Orbiter I, is brainwashed by Unity in an attempt to insert an agent into the Commonwealth Space Project. First broadcast: 16 November 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Gerik Schjelderup, Arthur Lawrence, John Witty, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook. |
Episode 9: Operation Salvage
A rescue ship retrieves the brainwashed Captain Bradley from Orbiter I. Meanwhile, Captain Britton and his crew have repaired Orbiter II and head back to Earth. First broadcast: 23 November 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Gerik Schjelderup, Arthur Lawrence, John Witty, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook, John Graham. |
Episode 10: Return To Woomera
Captain Britton and the crew make it back to CSP headquarters and Captain Bradley is exposed as a Unity spy. First broadcast: 30 November 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, John Witty, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook, Leslie Perrins. |
Episode 11: A Flight Against Time
The crew return to Orbiter X with a plan to place a tracking device on a Unity ship in order to trace the location of Unity Earth headquarters. First broadcast: 7 December 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook, Leslie Perrins, Gerik Schjelderup, Arthur Lawrence, John Graham. |
Episode 12: Building The Space Station
Unity completes the assembly of the Orbiter X space station, but the placing of the tracking device on a Unity ship doesn't go according to plan. First broadcast: 14 December 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook, Leslie Perrins, Gerik Schjelderup, Arthur Lawrence. |
Episode 13: The Net Closes
The location of Unity Earth Headquarters is discovered, after Captain Britton places a tracking device on Kramer's ship. First broadcast: 21 December 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook, John Graham, Gerik Schjelderup, Arthur Lawrence, Irene Prador. |
Episode 14: The Final Round
McClelland and Hicks infiltrate the Unity base. Can they stop Unity once and for all, before they can launch a nuclear attack on Woomera? First broadcast: 28 December 1959. Original Story by B. D. Chapman. Cast: John Carson, Andrew Crawford, Barrie Gosney, Donald Bisset, Peter Noel Cook, John Graham, Gerik Schjelderup, Arthur Lawrence, Irene Prador. |