Lost in Details--Storeroom Door

An interesting comment prompted me to post a detail image of the Jupiter 2 small storeroom door. Located just behind the radio control station a very small storeroom was tucked away next to the porthole and under the sloped hull. In this SketchUp model I've removed the outer hull for clarity and shown the door in in both its closed and open positions. The door was actually designed as what is known as a bi-fold door. It swung into the storage room cutting into a portion of the interior space. Because of the way the manual door operated and was cut at an angle it actually had plenty of practical clearance to stay under the sloped hull.

Jupiter 2 Exterior

Okay, this model is really a cheat. I have used the lower section of the full-sized Jupiter 2 exterior with its landing gear as a base. The full-sized spaceship had diameter of only 43’-6”. The miniatures of the spaceship were scaled for a diameter of 48’-0”. The full-sized interior/exterior of the spaceship had a diameter of 47’-4”.

This version of the Jupiter 2 has the 47’-4” diameter of the full-sized interior/exterior.

The other cheat comes from how tall the upper deck portion is. To scale the miniatures all had an upper deck portion of 6’-0”. The same 6’-0” was on the upper deck portion of the full sized exterior spaceship. The full sized interior/exterior had sloped sides that continued up into the scaffolding of the stage. Here the upper deck is 7’-8” in order to house the spaceship upper deck interior.

Don’t ask about the lower deck.

Jupiter 2 Master Control Console

This view of the master control console shows the panel as it appeared during the first season. Instead of a central control panel the closed panel could unfold into a pilots seat. This was perfect for the concept of a single pilot, but by the second season a second seat was added and the center panel became another control panel.

Here the view out the window is of Gate 115 (or, double one-five, as it was called on the second season episode “The Ghost Planet”). The gate is not exactly as seen in the episode. Design drawings indicated that the full-sized exterior spaceship was to be used outside of the Fox Lot Mill building. The location was the same location used for the third season episode “Visit to a Hostile Planet.” Here I have dressed the mill and painted it as it was intended.

Jupiter 2 Interior Elevator

One of the most significant changes from the set of the Gemini 12 to the set of the Jupiter 2 was the addition of the elevator and ladder leading to the lower level. Along side of each are doors that would lead to storage compartments. In the third season the door nearest the elevator led to the Space Pod.

Jupiter 2 Upper Deck

I’ve been recently asked why I haven’t followed up on my “Lost in Space Design” book series. The sad truth is there isn’t enough interest. It took the publisher three years to sell 1,000 copies. The audience is just too small to make this labor of love profitable.

For those interested from time to time I’ll post a few images from the books that might have been. It was my intention to make a series of five books. Book One is “Lost in Space Design: No Place to Hide.” Book Two would have been “Lost in Space Design: The Reluctant Stowaway.” Each of the remaining books (Three, Four and Five) would have been dedicated to one of the three seasons.

The image here is from a SketchUp model of the Jupiter 2 upper deck. This model incorporates many of the set modifications made to convert the Gemini 12 into the Jupiter 2 spaceship. Here the new airlock, radio control center and storage room are located next to the improved master control console.

Fuel Barge Final Details

Here are the final details of the Fuel Barge hatch. All of the colors seen in these details were called out on production drawings. The shades were selected based upon the common shades of orange, red, or yellow seen during the series run.

The "open" and "close" buttons were actually called out as painted details. They had no dimension at all and did not glow. The fuzzy edge of the "A"on tank "A-11" is due to the fact that the pattern for this  SketchUp model was created at a much smaller bit size and pasted onto the tank.

Fuel Barge More Details

It would appear that the hatches on the Fuel Barge were intended to slide up. Even though a full sized section of the fuel tank was built on stage with this hatch the hatch was not made practical. On screen the glowing push buttons for the fuel capacity could be seen, but little else.

It's amazing how much detail goes into the production of a single episode of any television show and still never finds its way to the screen.

Fuel Barge Detail

The Fuel Barge miniature used in the Lost in Space episodes "Wild Adventure" and "The Haunted Lighthouse" were missing in a small detail. This hatch was actually built as a full sized section of the tank for an actor to interact with. The fuel gauge is in the upper righthand corner and two hooks are provided for safety tethers to attach.

A great deal of design work was added to this hatch that barely shows in the episode.

Fuel Barge Bottom

This is an interesting view of the Fuel Barge--it's the bottom view. Comparing this view with the top view it becomes evident that there are three repeats of the number and pattern around each tank. 

This model was a challenge in SketchUp because of the patterns. Trying to wrap lettering and patterns around the tank would have been difficult and created an unnecessarily large model in terms of size. This model is only 5.6MB. That's because the patterns were drawn flat in another model and then images were pasted onto the tanks. The tank circumference had to be calculated to plan the pattern. One side of each tank has a small hatch (not included in the production miniature) that had to be properly positioned.

Fuel Barge Top

A site visitor asked about the paint pattern on the Fuel Barge. On screen the third fuel tank, "C-10," is very difficult to see--not just for the letters but the colors too.

I had the good fortune to research original drawings from the television series in order to prepare this SketchUp model. Honestly, I don't remember if these are the colors that were called out on the drawings, or if they are the closest match to what was seen on screen. Possibly it's a little of both. 

I've also added a little detail that wasn't on the miniature--a hatch on each tank. But more about that later.

Heading to the Hollywood Collector's Show

I'll be heading out to the Hollywood Collector's Show on October 8 and 9.  I'll be there selling and signing my book, "Lost in Space Design: No Place To Hide."  If you'd like to meet me this is place to be. If you'd like to meet celebrities you couldn't find a better place to be.  There will be a cast reunion from "Batman," "The Waltons" and more.  Check out the Hollywood Collector's Show website for all of the latest information.

The illustration shown here is not actually of me traveling to the show.  This is a SketchUp rendering used in my book.  The Gemini 12 was created in SketchUp, based upon the 12 inch miniature used for filming long shot flying sequences.  I've placed the model in front of a backdrop (actually a screen grab from the Lost in Space series) of Earth.  At this point the spaceship would be hitting maximum dynamic pressure.  If you want to know how I know this come see me at the show.

Lost in Space Design:Excerpt

Here's a sneak peek at my new book Lost in Space Design: No Place To Hide.  The book explores the design of classic sci-fi/fantasy television show by looking at both the production and the science behind the fiction.  

This page illustrates that point with a look at one of the production ideas that did not make the final cut for the unaired pilot.  In this case a meteor hole was supposed to be seen near the back of the Gemini 12 spaceship.  Not only do I illustrate some of the proposed camera angles, I also point out that destruction of this sort would have meant the end of the Space Family Robinson.

The book contains more than 100 images and illustrations.  I created most of them were created in SketchUp.  If you're interested in learning more about the design of the original Lost in Space pilot please use the link to find the book on Amazon.com.

Oh, and by the way, notice the post date of this blog entry: June 12.  That's Irwin Allen's birthday.  That's where the name of the pilot spaceship comes from too.  "Gemini" is Irwin's zodiac sign and 12 is the day of his birth.  At that time in the mid 60s there was already a NASA space program called "Gemini" and the final rocket launches were already planned (they would not continue up to 12).  It was felt that there would be some confusion with the science-fiction family's space program and the real thing, so the spaceship's name became the Jupiter 2 for the series.

But Irwin wasn't done plugging his birthday.  In Land of the Giants that is the date that the little people found themselves sidetracked on a routine trip to London.  He makes it hard for his fans to forget his birthday.

Lost in Space Design

It's here.  I've written a book on Lost in Space Design, hopefully the first in a series.  The book focuses on the designs for the unaired Lost in Space pilot episode "No Place To Hide."  This is what Lost in Space was like before there was a Dr. Smith or a robot.  The book looks at the design of the pilot from a production and scientific point-of-view.  

The 80-page softbound book is fully illustrated with over 100 images.  I created all of the original art for the book using SketchUp.  Thanks to this wonderful 3-D modeling tool readers will be able to look at the spaceship and other sets from angles that vintage photos have never shown.

Publisher, Jack Hagerty, has helped to add some very interesting scientific depth to the book with an analysis of the realities of space travel.  Hagerty actually is a rocket scientist with a number of interesting books on the subject.  If you enjoy space travel be sure to look into his other works too.

Lost in Space Design: No Place To Hide is currently available on Amazon.com and from the Publisher.  Click on the links to order yours today.