Satellite Seven (1958) was an eight-part BBC series about two brothers shipwrecked on a Scottish Island. There, they discover a scientist planning to launch a nuclear powered rocket carrying a satellite that will orbit the moon and return to the island. A spy plans to steal the professor's hand written plans. Can the brothers stop the thief? Satellite Seven is significant because it is complete in just eight episodes, it is intended for a juvenile audience, and it is told from the point of view of the 15-year-old boy narrator.
Total Episodes: 8
Surviving Episodes: 8
Mystery Island
Episode 01, 30 April 1958
Whispering Voices
Episode 02, 2 May 1958
Counter Spies
Episode 03, 7 May 1958
The Launching Bay
Episode 04, 9 May 1958
Late Night Rendezvous
Episode 05, 14 May 1958
Zero Hour
Episode 06, 16 May 1958
The Spy
Episode 07, 21 May 1958
Moon Messenger
Episode 08, 23 May 1958
On 4 October 1959, the Soviet Union sent a satellite into orbit around the moon, photographing, for the first time, its far side. Other countries, including Great Britain, had raced against the Soviet Union to be first to accomplish this feat. Satellite Seven tells of the British effort to be the first to photograph the far side of the moon, and a spy's efforts to sabotage the project.
Two brothers, Tony and Jake Thomson, sail along the Scottish coast on holiday. A sudden storm leaves them shipwrecked on an island. There, they discover a scientist who seeks to launch a nuclear satellite around the moon and return. They also discover a spy, intent to steal the scientist's plans for the satellite. Can the brothers stop the spy?
Complete in eight fifteen-minute episodes, this series was produced by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) in Scotland, and broadcast by BBC 30 April 1958-23 May 1958. Satellite Seven was called by its announcer part science fiction, part mystery, part spy tale, and part adventure. The series was narrated by the younger Thomson brother, Jake, age fifteen. All this, and Scottish country singing too!
The cast included
Tony Thomson (Arthur Boland)
Jake Thomson (Bryden Murdoch)
Writer (Angus McVicker).
Episodes at Old Time Radio Researchers Group Library website
Satellite Seven radio logs at Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs website