Pathfinders in Space

Target Luna was a British television serial broadcast by Associated Television in April 1960. It was written by Malcolm Hulke and Eric Paice, directed by Adrian Brown and produced by Sydney Newman who went on to co-create Doctor Who for the BBC. The first serial featured Frank Finlay as Conway Henderson and Michael Craze as Geoffrey Wedgewood. The show was successful and spawned three sequels: Pathfinders in Space (September 1960), Pathfinders to Mars (December 1960 – January 1961), and Pathfinders to Venus (March 1961) starring Gerald Flood and Stewart Guidotti in the recast roles.

Over four serials, Target Luna and the Pathfinders proved tremendously successful with the viewing public, with episode 4 of Pathfinders to Mars getting to second place in audience ratings on New Year's Day 1961.

Number of episodes: 6

Professor Norman Wedgewood (David Markham) is the head of an experimental rocket group on remote Buchan island in Scotland. His children, Geoff (Michael Craze), Valerie (Sylvia Davies) and Jimmy (Michael Hammond) visit him to watch the launch of his latest rocket, along with journalist Conway Henderson (Frank Finlay). When the pilot is taken ill, Jimmy finds himself taking his place on a mission to the Moon along with his pet hamster, Hamlet. After several harrowing hours in space, Jimmy, Hamlet and the rocket are finally brought down to earth.

Note: No tape recordings of the serial are known to exist.

Number of episodes: 7

Professor Norman Wedgewood (now Peter Williams) and his team are planning another rocket mission to the Moon. Once again, Geoff, Valerie and Jimmy (now Steward Guidotti, Gillian Ferguson and Richard Dean) are on hand to witness the launch of a new rocket MR1 (Moon Rocket 1), along with journalist friend Conway Henderson (now Gerald Flood). However, when the automatic supply ship MR2 (Moon Rocket 2) fails to launch Henderson and the children make a desperate rescue attempt with Jimmy's pet Hamlet (now a guinea pig).

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