Zero X

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Zero X (short for Zero Altitude Launch Space Exploration Craft) was the designation given to a solar system exploration spaceship that appeared in the movie Thunderbirds Are Go. It comprises five components, all possessing their own flight capabilities.

Plans drawn up for the craft received approval in 2020 or 2060, following which construction began on Zero X as well as a number of necessary facilities at Glenn Field to accomodate its manufacture and launch.

Initially, one Zero-X spaceship was built - but it was accidentally sabotaged by the Hood (who'd earlier snuck aboard to take photographs), when he got his foot stuck in the trim hydraulic. This jammed the elevator control system and Zero-X crash-dived headfirst into the sea and exploded. The five-man crew managed to eject to a safe ocean-landing in the craft's emergency-escape capsule (see below).

The second Zero-X, identical sister-ship of the first, succeeded in reaching Mars - but its landing module (or MEV), damaged by mysterious Rock Snakes on the Martian surface, subsequently managed a successful escape to space, where it docked with the rest of the ship and then headed for Earth...

After suffering a crucial circuit failure - when the aft Lifting Body [2] failed to dock properly - during the re-entry through Earth's atmosphere, the now-crippled Zero-X required the help of International Rescue; and IR did indeed manage to save the crew. But Zero-X itself was beyond saving - and was ultimately destroyed when it crashed and exploded on impact, in the evacuated town of Craigsville.

Technical Data[]

Length: 362.7 m (1,190 ft.)
Wingspan: 237.7 m (780 ft.)
Total delta velocity: 64 km (40 miles) per second
Standard acceleration: 1 g.
Maximum acceleration: 10 g.
Emergency acceleration: 15 g.
Crew: normally five
Manufacturer: New World Aircraft Corporation
Weaponry: one blaster cannon, which is fitted to the MEV

Engines[]

Main body: 8 variable-mode engines operating as chemical rockets in space, or as variable-cycle jet engines using air intakes in atmospheric flight. 2 pitch and yaw rockets.
Lifting Body 1 & 2: 8 variable-cycle turbo ram jets. 4 under each wing. 5 centrally mounted variable-mode gas turbine jets. 2 wing-tip booster jet engines.

Nose cone: 2 Rosenthal-Hodge Dynamics sustainer rockets.

[MEV] Martian excursion vehicle: 2 chemical booster rockets. Variable mode gravity generator providing internal artificial gravity and additional lift and hover capabilities on planetary surfaces and during take-off.

Landing Gear[]

Main body: Front and rear landing gears with a total of 40 wheels (4 bogies with 10 wheels each). The rear landing gear is only used for taxiing out onto the apron: it has to be retracted before Lifting Body 2 can be attached.

Lifting Body 1: Two landing gears in the wing tip nacelles. Both are single bogies with 8 wheels each.
Lifting Body 2: Five landing gears with a total of 36 wheels. Four are situated in the wings, and have 8 wheels each. The fifth, with four wheels, is located in the nosecone.

History[]

Mark I[]

The Zero X was originally built to visit and land on Mars, being the most expensive space craft to date. However, the Hood had snuck into the vessel in order to photograph its inner working, and got his foot stuck in the hydraulic lift mechanism. With the spaceship unable to sustain its climb, it began to descend back towards Earth, and Captain Travers had no choice but to evacuate the craft and bail. The ship met an end in the ocean, where it exploded on impact. A report was organised to investigate the Zero X project and its future.

Mark II[]

Two years after the original Zero X had been destroyed, the report investigating its destruction - a mammoth 862 pages long - was finished and presented to the members of the Space Exploration Centre. With the report correctly concluding that sabotage was responsible for the craft's failure, the Centre votes to launch a second Zero X to Mars, with the proviso that International Rescue are present to secure the launch and prevent a second sabotage attempt.

This Zero X succesfully launches and reaches Mars in 6 weeks. The team find the atmosphere breathable, but likely too thin to sustain life. However, while the team investigates a series of interesting rock coils that litter the area surrounding their landing site, they discover that the planet can indeed sustain life, as the coils come to life and begin to fire at the MEV. The MEV only just manages to leave the surface in time and link up with the main body in orbit. Ending the expedition there, the Zero X returns to Earth.

Upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere, the Zero X is able to commence its landing procedure and recall its two lifting bodies - however, the second lifting body suffers a radio failure and crashes into the Zero X, causing widespread electrical failure which disables the escape unit. In a repeat of the first crash, the Zero X is unable to sustain its height with just one lifting body and is on course to crash in about half an hour, directly into the suburb of Craigsville. International Rescue are only just able to re-wire the escape unit's circuitry in time before Zero-X comes to firey end once more.

Mark III[]

A third Zero X was built following the destruction of Craigsville, in order to star in the Zero X comic series. With the exeption of Tony Grant, the same crew returned to command it. The updated craft's maiden voyage, seen in Return to the Red Planet, was back to Mars in order to more closely study the mysterious Rock Snakes they had found the first time. However, the MEV was caught in a dust storm on its descent to the surface, with the magnetic dust clinging on to the craft's shell and rendering communications impossible. Under orders from Central Control to return the main body to Earth in the case of going more than 12 hours without contact, the ground crew were only just able to establish contact in time to prevent them from being stranded on the red planet.

This Zero-X would go on to study further planets in the Solar System, and beyond.

Lifting Bodies 1 and 2[]

Both Lifting Bodies are virtually identical. The only major difference is the fact that Lifting Body 1's wingtips can fold down 90° to support the Zero X's aeroframe during takeoff - Lifting Body 2's cannot (and do not need to). Lifting Body 1 is attached on top of the spaceship just behind the MEV roof, while Lifting Body 2 is attached underneath the main engine section at the very rear of the ship.

Nose Cone[]

Prior to launch, Zero X is fitted with a nose cone. Cahelium-bonded with ceramic additives, it is detachable and provides a heat-resistant shield during take-off and re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Computerised control systems allow the nose cone to be remotely controlled from Zero X of Glenn Field

After detaching from the craft in the upper atmosphere, the nose cone - with the aid of two jet engines, both of which provide thrust - makes its way back down to Earth in a controlled descent and land using its undercarriage. Upon Zero X’s return to Earth, the nose cone - utilising its jet engines - takes off to rendezvous with (and reconnect to) the spaceship.

Additionally the nose cone is equipped with external environment recorders and docking clamps.

Emergency Escape Capsule[]

In the absence of ejector seats as such, the MEV instead incorporates an emergency escape capsule, which is buoyant. This is used by the crew to make a hasty escape in the event of an emergency.

The capsule is also fitted with an altimeter, the presence of which proved to be crucial following a jam in the first Zero X’s control system, in that it allowed Paul Travers to know how close the craft was to the sea, and further enabled him to make a logical decision as to what the ideal altitude to eject at was.

After ejecting, the escape capsule - with the aid of a parachute - is brought back down to Earth in a safe, controlled descent.

During the launch sequence of Zero X, the crew go through the capsule’s doors (one at the rear, one at the front) before they reach their respective stations in the MEV.

Crew[]

Zero X has a regular crew of three, as well as a scientific officer - although extra members of the team are invariably present on specific missions.

Captain Paul Travers heads up command of the vessel, alongside Greg Martin as co-pilot and Brad Newman as navigator. Doctor Ray Pierce round out the crew, providing scientific insight into the planets the spacecraft visits.

When the MEV makes ground visits, Brad usually remains in the Zero X to control the main body, while Paul, Greg and Ray descend to the planet below.

For the Zero X's first visit to Mars in Thunderbirds Are Go, they were accompanied by Tony Grant. Before the launch, however, Tony was almost replaced by the Hood, who had disguised himself as Tony in order to learn the vessel's secrets.

For the Zero X's return visit to Mars in Return to the Red Planet, Conrad Carlson takes Tony's place as the second scientist, who takes a particular interest in the Rock Snakes. Endangering the mission and almost getting the Zero X stuck in deep space, Carlson is suspended when they eventually return to Earth.

After Paul finds himself suspended from duty in Prisoners of the Star, Colonel Jennings very briefly takes over the helm. However, Paul manages to hijack the vessel and kick Jennings out before his first training flight, and not long after Paul is returned to active duty.

Zero X Assembly[]

Main article: Zero X/Assembly

Assembly of the Zero X is the responsibility of Commander Casey in assembly control.

Behind the Scenes[]

Two different-sized models were used during filming. They were so carefully crafted that in the finished movie, they can only be told apart by minutely examining their paneling lines.
The large model of Zero-X (used for close-up shots of the craft) was around 7 feet (2.1 meters) long.
Filming Zero-X II's destruction in Craigsville took around two days.

Cutaway Drawings[]

Main article: History of the Cutaway Drawings (Classic Thunderbirds)

To date, no fewer than four cutaways of Zero X exist. At least two of these were illustrated by Graham Bleathman; one featured in Supermarionation Cross-sections, and the other appeared in the 2017 Captain Scarlet Spectrum Agents' Manual.

As for the other two, one is believed to have been produced by Bleathman for a Captain Scarlet comic in the 1990s, whereas the other originally appeared in the Thunderbirds Spring Extra, and was later colourised for the Project SWORD annual.

Trivia[]

In Thunderbird 6 there is a scene where Lady Penelope reads a newspaper. One report reads: "ZEROX FINDS NEW LIFE ON SATURN?".

ZEROX-PAPER — Penelope's paper. The Zero X story is just on the left (click to enlarge).

Most, if not all of the instrument panels seen in the Zero-X cockpit were later reused as those of Skythrust in Alias Mr. Hackenbacker.
A Zero-X craft is again seen on Mars in the series premiere of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. In this series, the craft plays an extremely minimal, but nonetheless crucial role by attacking the Mysteron complex, thus setting in motion the events of the series. This implies that the series takes place after Thunderbirds Are Go; however, it is is unclear if this is the case, and whether or not the two shows share the same continuity remains unknown.