Men Into Space!

I’m indebted to Odyssey, e-magazine of the British Interplanetary Society, for pointing me towards this…

Men Into Space, an US tv show from 1959 and 1960. It ran for one season of about 38 episodes and depicted a US lunar exploration programme. It’s a bit workaday, but with some creative assistance from the likes of Chesley Bonestall it was a bit better than might be expected. Still, a world between it and Star Trek which appeared only seven or so years later. Star Trek had its problems, but a cursory look at the MIS episode ‘First Woman in Space’ is no fun for those of us who are feminists. It’s like, well… another world.

I’d never heard of it, not a whisper, before now, and it’s fascinating in its own way. Apparently it took great pride in its scientific accuracy. The above episode deals with Soviet and US missions to Mars where something goes wrong and… well… I won’t spoil it for you. Note that the Soviets have much more futuristic outfits. Not sure what that’s telling us.