The Continuity GuideUniforms
by Martin Willey
The Continuity Guide
Astronauts wear a Display and Control Module (DCM) on their chest, controlling their life support systems and communications.
The chest and back packs have a prominent number. Koenig is always number 1, Alan Carter is usually 3; others vary. Another Alphan wears the number 1 in The A B Chrysalis.
Helena is 2 in Ring Around The Moon, Earthbound and Space Brain. In Space Warp she is 5, and in The Immunity Syndrome she is 8.
Maya is 7 in The Exiles, and 2 in The Bringers of Wonder part 2 and The Immunity Syndrome.
This shot, seen on the back of the UK Orbit edition of Breakaway and the German novel Unbekannte Invasoren, shows astronauts with red rectangles where the numbers should be. This is evidently a dress rehearsal.
In Breakaway, one of the red backpacks appears in Koenig's Eagle when it lands. The one alongside it has a black number plate.
There is a hook on the right side of the DCM which is used in Breakaway for the commlock. In all other episodes, the crew clip their commlocks to their belts.
A metal toggle switch is visible on the underside of the chest pack, originally in orange to blend in with the spacesuit. This switch turns on the flashing red light.
The back of the DCM is mostly blank.
The id numbers were changed for year 2, with a new typeface. On some packs, the sections are outlined with thicker black borders, while others show noticeable wear and tear.
In Year 2 there are new straps with large buckles. The rough edges look like the old belts were cut. These are very uneven on some suits, such as Koenig's here.
In The Exiles, both packs are changed. Maya's pack 7 has a new larger label, "AE3", instead of the original label "AE2". In later episodes, this would become Koenig's pack. Koenig's pack 1 top right has red/blue colours instead of yellow-black-blue stripes.
The next time we see the packs, in The AB Chrysalis, the sides has been repainted white, removing the original labelling. All the AE2 (and AE3) labels are gone. Koenig's pack 1 has black borders in poor condition. The detailing and colours on the front panels are simplified; the red bar above the number is now white.
One of the packs, 8, is missing the red block on the front above the flashing light. Helena will wear this pack in The Immunity Syndrome
The packs are the same in Space Warp
In The Bringers of Wonder part 2 and part 2, Koenig's pack has an AE3 label. None of the other packs has a label.
This redressed check pack appears with the silver spacesuit seen in Brian The Brain. In the version seen in The Seance Spectre, Koenig wears his regular AE3 pack.
In The Bringers of Wonder part 1, several firemen wear versions of the chest pack (number 4 and 9 in the command module, number 2 and another in the passenger module; only two are seen together, so there were probably only 2 of the suits and packs, with the numbers 2 and 9 swapped). The pack straps are orange, not black.
Copyright Martin Willey