The Continuity GuideMoonbase Guide
by Martin Willey
The Continuity Guide|
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, and one of the outbuildings at the end of a travel tube spoke disappears. |
 
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. |
 A wider version of the same view. |
 From the Year Two titles. Note the launch pad docking tube. |
 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 distant view of the base |
 A view of Moonbase Alpha in Breakaway. A similar angle to the series titles, but with different hills beyond. |
 A distant view of Moonbase Alpha in Breakaway. |
 Bergman's accurate model of the Moonbase in Black Sun. |
 This view shows the positions of the forcefield towers that provide artificial gravity. |
 The base with the Bergman forcefield active. |
 Closer view. |
 Close view of the Moonbase model from the Horizon documentary |
 Close view of the Moonbase model from the Horizon documentary |
 Low angle from The Mark Of Archanon. |
 Low angle from Guardian Of Piri. |
 Very low angle from Force Of Life. |
 Unusual angle from Bringers Of Wonder. |
 Here the Moonbase is literally on an angle. |
 High angle from Alpha Child |
 The battle scarred Moonbase in War Games. |
 The round out-building in the foreground disappears in later episodes. Blown up by aliens? |
 A view from The Troubled Spirit |
 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. |
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Copyright Martin Willey