The Continuity GuideMoonbase Guide
Power and Life Support
by Martin Willey
The Continuity Guide
A corridor sign at the entrance to the section.
Four Nuclear Generating Areas are mentioned in Force Of Life ("Nuclear Generating Areas 1,2,3 and 4"). Nuclear Generating Area 3 is seen in Force Of Life. An identical room, named the "Generating Area", is seen in Alpha Child (this could be either NGA 1,2 or 4).
Force Of Life scenes filmed on M stage on 6th-7th June 1974, resuming Monday 1st and 2nd July. The Alpha Child shots were filmed on Friday 5th July 1974.
Another design of nuclear reactor is seen as part of the Life Support Complex in The Exiles (actually it is a smaller complex than NGA3). Variations of the Year 2 Power Room (without the security area) are seen in One Moment Of Humanity and The A B Chrysalis.
The reactor door appears in other areas of Moonbase. The door was a prop from a previous film, and later appeared in the 1979 film A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (thanks to David Cleary). It also appears in the 1981 TV series Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (thanks to Nick Macarty).
See also: the Main Power Unit and Life Support.
Illustrated in Moonbase Alpha Technical Operations Manual by Chris Thompson (2021); page 61
The red "Anti-Radiation Doors", prominently labelled "Keep Closed At All Times". These doors, coloured red here, were reused in the Experimental Lab in Voyager's Return, then they became the outer doors to the year 2 life support room
Interior view from the doors: two waste caps and the reactor door are on the right, banks of computers on the left, and an office directly ahead.
The reverse view, from the office. That's Paul's Main Mission desk.
Another angle, towards the computer banks. In Alpha Child they have swapped the desks around; this is now Sandra's Main Mission desk
The Anti Radiation Doors, communications post (designation "P" for power), and a desk (Kano's Main Mission desk).
Overhead view towards the communications post.
The corner of the hall, showing stacked storage boxes, and an arch leading to an unseen area.
The first computer bank, with two desks.
Note this close-up from Alpha Child shows different panels to those seen in Force Of Life
On one side of the computer bank is a "Space-O-Mat" drinks dispenser. This is also seen in the Main Mission arches (one of the two Space-O-Mats in Main Mission becomes a red cross in Force Of Life, because they relocated one prop here).
Between the two banks of computers are filing cabinets. The Space-O-Mat has a practical panel for the cup. Dominix presses the button marked "cocktail fruit" but gets coffee.
The second computer bank and further computers at the far corner.
The office, with large windows above.
The office contains an illuminated panel similar to ones seen in the Command Office and Koenig's Living Quarters. An Alphan trolley-mounted display is visible.
The office is close to the reactor door.
The short corridor alongside the reactor door has filing cabinets at the end.
The reactor door is opened using these controls. First the top left red button is pressed, then bottom left, then the top cylinder is pulled out. This process is repeated for the four other cylinders.
Overhead view with the reactor door open.
View up to the balcony over the waste caps. Note the cabin above the reactor door, filled with pipes (cooling rod assemblies?)
Copyright Martin Willey