Thunderbird 5 is not being kept on Tracy Island, unlike the other Thunderbirds, due to being a space station stationed in geostationary orbit 54,000 kilometres above Tracy Island. There is a launch bay on the island for the Space Elevator to transport John Tracy to the space station. Though this method of transport to Thunderbird 5 is primarily used by John, it can also be used by other members of International Rescue. It is also not the only method of getting to the space station as Thunderbird 3 can also be used.
Space Elevator Launch[]
Primary Launch Sequence[]
John runs to the launch bay of the Space Elevator, which is lowered from Thunderbird 5 and towards Tracy Island and lands on the launch bay with its mooring claw holding onto the dock. Upon entering, John is already wearing his space suit, boots and sash as he sits down in the elevator and the doors close behind him. The Space Elevator's mooring claw lets go of its dock and it launches out of Tracy Island and towards Thunderbird 5. Once the Space Elevator has been fully retracted and docked into the bottom of Thunderbird 5, the hatch in the capsule’s ceiling opens, allowing John to jump through into the gravity ring.
- First seen in: Skyhook
Thunderbirds Are Go - Thunderbird 5 Launch
Hiram Hackenbacker[]
Brains and MAX leave the lounge and enter the elevator to the refuelling hangar. While Brains is on his way to the hangar, he has MAX attach his rescue suit, gloves and boots to him . Once Brains and MAX are in the refuelling hangar, they walk up the stairs that lead to Thunderbird 1’s extendable platform, through the room underneath the Space Elevator’s launch bay, and up the stairs to the launch bay. Brains and MAX walk along the walkway towards the Space Elevator and enter it through the airlock. Once Brains has sat down in the cockpit, the Space Elevator’s mooring claw lets go of its dock. EOS retracts and launches the Space Elevator out of Tracy Island and towards Thunderbird 5.
- Episode: Brains vs. Brawn
Thunderbirds Are Go - Brains' Space Elevator Launch
Launch With Thunderbird 3[]
Alan Tracy sits on the pilot seat in the lounge, with Gordon in the co-pilot seat on his right. The two seats lower to the Thunderbird 3 and Thunderbird S launch tube, which Alan and Gordon are taken along via a trolley. At the end of this launch tube, the seats are rotated 90° clockwise so that Alan and Gordon are facing the two separate launch tubes at the end of the one they are currently in. The pilot seat is taken into the launch tube on the left, while the co-pilot seat is taken into the launch tube on the right. With Alan now in his own launch tube, his space suit, wrist mounted holographic displays and chestplate are attached to him by robotic arms with him personally putting on his sash, all while his seat is being rotated 180° so that he exits the tube backwards. While this is happening, Gordon’s drysuit and gloves are attached to him by robotic arms with him personally putting on his sash, all while the seat is being rotated 180° so that he exits the launch tube backwards. Alan and Gordon rejoin as they exit the launch tube. They are taken onto the loading arm, which lifts them into Thunderbird 3’s cockpit. Thunderbird 3’s loading arm lowers out of the way, out of the rocket’s silo. The pilot and co-pilot seats move into place at Thunderbird 3’s control console, while the rocket’s silo encloses. Alan launches Thunderbird 3 out of the silo and through the middle of the roundhouse, into the air and towards space. Once Thunderbird 3 is at Thunderbird 5, Alan extends the grasping arms and rotates the rocket at the same speed at the gravity ring. The grasping arms lock into the three docking ports on the gravity ring, and Thunderbird 3’s nose cone enters Thunderbird 5’s dock. This allows Alan and Gordon to leave Thunderbird 3 and enter Thunderbird 5.
- Episodes: The Man From TB5 and EOS
Thunderbirds Are Go - Thunderbird 3 Launch To Thunderbird 5