‘RICOCHET’ KLA SATELLITE

From the 1965 TV series ‘Thunderbirds’.

Seen only in the episode ‘Ricochet’, this ‘pirate radio’ satellite operated by KLA, and featuring the popular Disk Jockey Rick O’Shea. The spacecraft is accidentally damaged when a renegade rocket has to ‘self destruct’. The ‘pirate’ nature of the ship meant that it was not on any registered flight path and accidentally got caught in the blast. This episode has a memorable sequence where Thunderbird 2 has to intercept the disintegrating satellite before it crashes into a populated area.

The KLA Satellite miniature seen in the show looks to have been created as a customization of a satellite that appeared in the earlier episode ‘Cry Wolf’.

Designed by Derek Meddings and/or Mike Trim