The Astroboard is a red jet powered surfboard-like device stored inside Thunderbird 3, and is Alan Tracy's signature rescue item. It allows for fast travel through space independent of Thunderbird 3.
The Astroboard is used for traveling to areas in space in preparation for delicate procedures, such as punching in a deactivation code for an active stealth mine, without Thunderbird 3 being close by or in the way, or simply when assembling a pod for travel is not an option. It is especially useful in more chaotic environments where Thunderbird 3 or a pod would be too vulnerable due to space junk or meteoroids.
It is unknown how Alan is able to stay on the board despite such wild riding, as there are no straps, but nonetheless, he is incredibly skilled on it, and has no problem controlling it or dodging obstacles in space whist riding it even when carrying someone to safety. It is possible that it is magnetised to Alan's boots.
Despite being made primarily for space walking, it handles well in gravity, and is probably faster and more durable than Scott's jetpack.
It is shown that Alan keeps up to two Astroboards in Thunderbird 3 as to allow his co-pilot to accompany him whenever necessary as shown in Signals Part 1
List of Appearances[]
Ring of Fire Part 2[]
Thunderbird 3 travels to a satellite The Hood intends to use in order to activate over five hundred earthquake generators, which would cause sea-quakes along the Ring of Fire and kill countless people. Alan has a bypass module obtained from a generator Gordon picked up earlier, and it would allow control of the earthquake generators to go to International Rescue if he can attach it to the satellite. As an operation requiring human hands, the Space Surfboard is used to get Alan up close.
Space Race[]
Thunderbird 3, whilst on a side mission to clear space junk, accidentally picks up what turns out to be an active stealth mine left over from the Global Conflict of 2040, which chases Thunderbird 3 relentlessly throughout the episode. The countdown of the mine can only be stopped with a pass-code, but John's efforts to find it digitally give him nothing but a rough image with the last number out of sight. Lady Penelope and Parker infiltrate an underground archive in London to find the deactivation code, but Alan eventually feels like too much time has passed. He travels to the mine via the Space Surfboard, with the intent to take a gamble on the last number.
Life Signs[]
While on a rescue mission on Mars to rescue Captain Lee Taylor and Professor Karim trapped in an unstable and collapsing cavern network, the Dragonfly Pod was crushed by falling rocks when Alan and Virgil try to get Professor Karim, who is injured and has a tear on his suit onto the pod. Virgil then proposes a plan of sealing the cavern they are in temporarily and pressuring the space to serve as a makeshift air bubble, while Alan head back to Thunderbird 3 to use its drill to eventually get all of them out. With the pod crushed and walking back not being an option due to being too time-consuming and a raging sandstorm outside, Alan summons the Space Surfboard to him and head back to Thunderbird 3 riding it.
Trivia[]
The Astroboard is essentially identical to the Galaxy Gliders from Power Rangers In Space.