Gerry Anderson series Terrahawks marks anniversary by sending a real Spacehawk into outer space
2020 is the year that Zelda arrives in our solar system...
If you're an '80s kid who was petrified of Terrahawks villain Zelda, then we have some potentially unsettling news... this is the year that she and her forces arrive in our solar system.
At least, 2020 was the year of Zelda's arrival within the fiction of the classic Gerry Anderson series, which aired between 1983 and 1986 in the UK.
Fans of the show will also remember Spacehawk, the orbital station tasked with being Earth’s first line of defence against incoming alien incursions, and to mark the 'anniversary' of Zelda landing on Mars, a toy version of Spacehawk – produced by Bandai in the '80s – has actually been launched into outer space.
The toy, still in its original packaging, came from the personal collection of Jamie Anderson, son of the the late Gerry, and was set off into the Earth's atmosphere from Australia – with Raptor Aerospace overseeing the lunch of a rocket from a private launch site in Queensland.
Returned safely to Earth via parachute after its high-altitude voyage, the toy Spacehawk will be now auctioned for charity later in the year as part of a package put together by Anderson Entertainment and Raptor Aerospace.
"Space Hawk is from Anderson Entertainment's archive [and] has now been to the edge of the atmosphere, safely returned, and will hopefully be raising money for Alzheimer's Society and the Young People's Puppet Theatre, which are our two main charities," said Jamie Anderson.
2020 is set to be an exciting year for Terrahawks fans, with a modern reboot of the series currently in development.
- Gerry Anderson's classic Space: 1999 is being rebooted with a new cast
- The new Space: 1999 is like Line of Duty on the moon
Like the original, the new series is expected to follow the heroic Terrahawks’ battle against the extraterrestrial android forces of Zelda, but with an increased focus on the character of Kate Kestrel, ace pilot and internationally famous pop star.
A broadcaster is yet to be announced, but Kate Kestrel and the Terrahawks is currently being developed by US-based producers Tiny Giants LLC and will be executive produced by Jamie alongside Stu Gamble, with Mark Hoffmeier – writer on various animated Marvel series including Spider-Man (2017-present) and Avengers Assemble (2013-19) – attached as showrunner.
Authors
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across the brand's digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
