Moonbase Alpha Exterior Structures

Moonbase Exterior Structures

Moonbase Alpha is built in a crater (The Last Sunset) with a flat floor surrounded by rounded hills.

The location of the Moonbase is never stated. It is within walking distance of "area Copernicus of the Copernicus depression" (Space Warp). Copernicus is also recognised as a mountain in Journey To Where, with the Mare Imbrium above it. Copernicus is in fact a crater (20W, 10N), 93 km in diameter and 3,760 m deep, south of the Montes Carpatus (Carpathian Mountains). The only other lunar features mentioned are the Sea of Tranquillity (The Last Sunset) and the Taurus Mountains (a mountain chain adjoining the Sea of Serenity and the Sea of Tranquillity), the area in which Eagle 28 crashed in The Last Sunset.

ITC Year 2 publicity stated that Moonbase Alpha was located in the crater Plato (51 N, 9 W), a 95km diameter wall plain north of the Mare Imbrium. The remarkably smooth lava floor is suitable for construction, but the high mountains surrounding it would be dangerous for spacecraft and the crater shown on screen is evidently much smaller than Plato. Author E C Tubb suggested Tycho in his Breakaway novelisation. Tycho (43S 11W) is 102km wide and has a rough floor and walls, a prominent central peak, and distinctive rays. This also seems unlikely as a moonbase location.

In Breakaway the Earth is only a few degrees over the lunar horizon, and Earth's terminator? shows the poles are at right angles to the horizon. This shows the Moonbase must be located either near the lunar north or south pole. One shot through the windows of Main Mission shows Earth with Africa clearly visible (an Apollo 11 photograph), with the north pole at the bottom. Therefore Moonbase Alpha must be located near the lunar south pole. A crater near Malapert Mountain (0 degrees Longitude, 86 degrees South Latitude, 5km elevation) is a realistic location, with the Sun and Earth almost constantly visible, aiding both communications and solar energy. There is also speculation of water ice buried in craters that are permanently shadowed near the lunar south pole. Thanks to Marcus Lindroos.

Most shots of Moonbase Alpha in Year 2 are library shots from Year 1 and photo cut-outs, but some new footage is used. Between Year 1 and 2, the Main Mission Tower has turned a little, and a thin boarding tube has been added to the launch pads. There is a little more detail on the launch pad spur.

Earth in Breakaway- composite thanks to Marcus Lindroos

Above: this shot from Breakaway shows the Earth (an Apollo 11 photo, shown inset). The Earth is low over the lunar horizon, and the Earth's North Pole is at the bottom; therefore Moonbase Alpha must be located near the lunar south pole.

An overhead view. Note launch pad in the foreground and the radial pattern of travel tubes. This image was used as a large photo cut-out in the series: in Alpha Child (see below) and Dorzak.

Another version of the same shot.

From the Year One titles.	The same view, as seen in the opening shots of The Last Enemy, Space Brain and Dragon's Domain (it is also seen in the establishing shot of 1996 Alpha).	The base drops with the Earth above, as seen in Breakaway and Dragon's Domain, and the opening titles of every episode.
The first view of Moonbase Alpha in Breakaway.	A view of Moonbase Alpha in Breakaway with foreground hills.	A view of Moonbase Alpha in Breakaway with foreground hills.
A view of Moonbase Alpha in Breakaway. A similar angle to the series titles, but with different hills beyond.	The duplicate Alpha from Another Time, Another Place, with more different hills beyond.	Five Eagles flying from Alpha, from Guardian Of Piri (also seen in flopped left for right in a few seconds later; it is repeated in War Games)
The opening shot from Ring Around The Moon, with strong illumination.	Another shot from Ring Around The Moon, with different hills beyond.	The base in Black Sun with the Bergman forcefield active.
An unusual view of one side of the base (actually the duplicate Alpha) from Another Time, Another Place.	The same shot, with different colour, from Guardian Of Piri. The same shot is also seen in Voyager's Return
Low angle opening shot from Alpha Child.		The small cylindrical building in the foreground disappears in Year 2 (perhaps destroyed by aliens); the travel tube ends abruptly.
		Force Of Life
A very low angle shot from The Last Sunset.	Very low angle from Force Of Life. The lights go out.
The battle scarred Moonbase in War Games.
A pan down from space to the Moonbase is seen behind the title credits of The Troubled Spirit	The second establishing shot from The Infernal Machine is identical.
Low angle shot seen three times in The Infernal Machine	The version of the shot with the supply Eagle flying towards it.

Distant views

A distant view of Moonbase Alpha in Breakaway.	A distant view of the base from Black Sun.	High angle shot of the base from Alpha Child
Missing Link

Launch pad views

A low angle featuring the launch pad. The opening shot from Collision Course.	The same view, framed slightly differently, is the opening shot from The Troubled Spirit.	From The Testament of Arkadia.
In The Full Circle.	From Space Brain as the bomb Eagle launches.	A shot from Mission of the Darians
A closer view, with less illumination, also from Collision Course.	A wider view, showing the illumination.	From The Last Enemy
The launch pad as seen in Death's Other Dominion.	The Full Circle	Three Eagles rise over the base, from Dragons Domain
Seen only in the This Episode clips from The Infernal Machine, the shot of the base is clearly a flat photograph.	The opening shot of The Testament of Arkadia.
The view in Space Brain as the meteorite strikes.	From Space Brain, as Koenig's Eagle and the bomb Eagle separate.	From Space Brain, as Koenig's Eagle and the bomb Eagle head to Alpha. Notice the travel tube that ends just before the right edge of the screen.
From Space Brain, the point of view shot as Koenig's Eagle and the bomb Eagle head to Alpha. Notice the round building at the end of the travel tube seen here is absent in the other shot.	A shot from Force Of Life, showing part of the launch pad in foreground.	A shot from Guardian Of Piri
Low angle from Guardian Of Piri.	A similar shot from Voyager's Return

Year Two Moonbase

From the Year Two titles. Note the launch pad docking tube.	Low angle from The Mark Of Archanon.
Unusual angle from Bringers Of Wonder.	Here the Moonbase is literally on an angle.

Bergman forcefield model

Bergman's accurate model of the Moonbase in Black Sun. On top of the model buildings are photographs of the special effects model- a quick and effective way to create a scale model.

This view shows the positions of the forcefield towers that provide artificial gravity.

Close up of a model tower.

Model shots

The Moonbase model (note the edges). Thanks to Mark Shaw for these model photos.	Another photo of the Moonbase model.	A very clear image of the Moonbase buildings. See more behind the scenes and model photos here and here.
Close-up views of the Moonbase model from the Horizon documentary