The Sphere in Orbit: Doctor TOC Explains it All For Me (and you). The
following "discussion" took place in January 1999 on the Seven Days
mailing list and is presented here with permission.
Quoted text from previous e-mails appears this
color . Yes. It was in the opening credits, and after each commercial. It showed a close-up of an astronaut with a cracked and broken faceplate. It looked to me like he was doing a spacewalk when the helmet got broken. It was only on the first two or three episodes. My guess is that too many viewers (myself included) got confused by it. Someone on this list pointed out the guy on the breakaway shots for commercials and I started noticing it -- must have thought it was an antenna or something before that. When I was rewatching episodes, I found the opening sequence of the pilot episode which shows the sphere in orbit. As it moves by we see the chrononaut with the broken faceplate, outside the sphere. I still don't understand why/how the sphere goes into orbit. If you're travelling through time, why are you necessarily outside the atmosphere? Can anyone explain that in layman's terms (Time Travel for Dummies!) for me?
From: Doctor TOC
Don Steffen
wrote:
I still don't understand
why/how the sphere goes into orbit. If you're travelling through time,
why are you necessarily outside the atmosphere? Can anyone explain that
in layman's terms (Time Travel for Dummies!) for me?
Okay, it's like this. When the sphere moves back in time, the Earth effectively travels back along it's orbital path. If the sphere stayed put, it would materialise in space (which is what happened to some of the previous attempts to Backstep). That's why it's so important for Parker to "fly the needles". The needles are a representation of a three dimensional location, relative to the surface of the Earth. The joystick controls the sphere's postion in space relative to that point. As the sphere travels back in time, Parker must maintain the sphere's lock on that location, or risk ending up doing the slow orbit waltz, like those before him. What we see when the sphere shoots up into orbit is actually a matter of perspective. We're watching in Parker's personal time, so effectively we're watching time run backwards. What is actually happening is that the sphere is momentarily staying put, and the world is moving away (back to where it was seven days before). Then Parker reacts and reasserts his control over the sphere, moving it to intercept the Earth, before re-intergrating with the normal flow of time. As we've seen from the show, even a tiny deviation when flying the needles can drop the sphere miles off course. So far Parker's been very lucky not to end up underground. So, no-one outside the sphere sees it fly into the air or anything like that, because it doesn't. Hmmm. Looking back on what I've written, I think that might be a bit complicated. Let me know if you understand it. If not, I'll try and do a simpler version :-) Doctor TOC
From: Don Thanks, good doctor (Doctor TOC). Let me ask a few follow-up questions: When the sphere moves back in time, the Earth effectively travels back along it's orbital path. If the sphere stayed put, it would materialise in space (which is what happened to some of the previous attempts to Backstep). But why in OUTER space? Why not within the atmosphere? If it has a pilot "flying the needles," why not in the exact same physical space it occupied at the time of the "launch?" What we see when the sphere shoots up into orbit is actually a matter of perspective. We're watching in Parker's personal time, so effectively we're watching time run backwards. What is actually happening is that the sphere is momentarily staying put, and the world is moving away (back to where it was seven days before). Your "perspective" explanation makes SOME sense to me and is helpful, but my own thought process leads me to visualize it more the way you write later in the explanation: So, no-one outside the sphere sees it fly into the air or anything like that, because it doesn't. Exactly! I don't think of the sphere "flying into the air" either, so when I am shown a visual image of the thing in orbit, I tend to go "what the...?" To me, that sequence is confusing. Visual metaphors can be risky for communicating complicated concepts. This one doesn't do it for me. I'd rather see a set of clocks spinning -- one showing the time from where Parker "left" and the other showing the time he is at now. (One spins backwards seven days while the other continues normally). Not as exciting visually, mind you, but at least my tiny little mind can grasp what's going on. Honestly, I visualize time travel more the way it was shown in the movie "Back to the Future." One second we see a speeding DeLorean and the next we don't. In the "past" we see a field, and suddenly a speeding DeLorean appears before crashing -- in the exact location it left from. I suppose that's why I wonder about the pressure suit and helmet as well. If he's NOT ACTUALLY in orbit (which I don't think he is) why does he need them? The suit doesn't protect him from losing some skin, so exactly what is it protecting him from? The helmet makes some sense since he seems to get jostled around a bit? Luckily, those sequences are over with quickly and we can get on to what I find MOST interesting about the show -- discovering and dealing with the consequences of time travel. Don
Don Steffen
wrote:
Thanks, good doctor
(Doctor TOC). Let me ask a few follow-up questions:
But why in OUTER
space? Why not within the atmosphere? If it has a pilot "flying the
needles," why not in the exact same physical space it occupied at the
time of the "launch?"
If the sphere was only travelling back a few minutes or so, it most likely *would* end up in the upper atmosphere, or a few miles underground. If it materialised then without a course correction from Parker, it would of course "faw down and go BOOM!". The sphere stands a good chance of ending up in vacuum because the Earth is travelling rather fast around the Sun, and the Sun is travelling rather fast around the galactic core and so on. As for why it doesn't stay exactly in place, take a look at the needles screen when Parker is in the sphere. The needles are all over the place as he fights to keep them aligned. There's always a reaction perod where the needles go out of line, then he corrects and so on. It's because of that lag that we get to see the Earth "moving away" from the sphere. If Parker could correct the needles instantly, the sphere *would* always stay exactly put relative to the surface of the Earth. I don't think of the sphere "flying into the air" either, so when I am shown a visual image of the thing in orbit, I tend to go "what the...?" To me, that sequence is confusing. Visual metaphors can be risky for communicating complicated concepts. This one doesn't do it for me. True, but it's less cliche' than your later suggestion (no offense meant, but it's been before). Perhaps they should add a digital readout to the bottom of the screen, showing time rolling back as the sphere dives back toward the Earth. I'd rather see a set of clocks spinning -- [snip] -- Honestly, I visualize time travel more the way it was shown in the movie "Back to the Future." One second we see a speeding DeLorean and the next we don't. In the "past" we see a field, and suddenly a speeding DeLorean appears before crashing -- in the exact location it left from. Agreed that's a fine way to do it (love those movies), but it completely misses an objection that many scientifically minded time travel afficianados have had for years, namely that if you *did* appear in the same exact location, you'd be in space and you'd die - end of story. The "up, up and away!" visual is an attempt to let us know they've thought of that, and so we can relax. I'm glad they do it actually, as it shows they've actually thought seriously about what time travel might entail. I suppose that's why I wonder about the pressure suit and helmet as well. If he's NOT ACTUALLY in orbit (which I don't think he is) why does he need them? Well, if he's not in orbit he has to be somewhere. It's my feeling that when Parker is travelling he's out of sync with normal space and time, which means he's out of sync with the atmosphere too. I think the suit's there in case the sphere gets holed and it's internal atmosphere get sucked out into whatever it is that he's travelling through. There may be radiation protection built into it too, and perhaps some insulation against the more disruptive EM fields at play in the sphere. Doctor TOC
From: Don Steffen
The kind doctor
explained:
If the sphere was
only travelling back a few minutes or so, it most likely *would* end
up in the upper atmosphere, or a few miles underground.
Of course, you're absolutely right. My question should have been more precise. I should have asked (edits in ALL CAPS): If it has a pilot "flying the needles," why not in the exact same physical space RELATIVE TO THE EARTH THAT it occupied at the time of the "launch?"
The
doc also added:
As for why it doesn't
stay exactly in place, take a look at the needles screen when Parker
is in the sphere. The needles are all over the place as he fights to
keep them aligned. There's always a reaction perod where the needles
go out of line, then he corrects and so on. It's because of that lag
that we get to see the Earth "moving away" from the sphere. If Parker
could correct the needles instantly, the sphere *would* always stay
exactly put relative to the surface of the Earth.
I just wonder why they wouldn't have a computer do it. Certainly a computer can react faster, and can be far more accurate than a human pilot could. But then, we needed a plot device that required a man (or woman as we're quick to add in the 90's) with Parker's particular abilities. True, but it's less cliche' than your later suggestion (no offense meant, but it's been done before). No offense taken. It's not only cliche, it's hackneyed. ;) BUT ... it IS within the intellectual grasp of those of us who aren't rocket scientists. :) Perhaps they should add a digital readout to the bottom of the screen, showing time rolling back as the sphere dives back toward the Earth. Ooh! That'd help! Anyone from the show reading this? Well, if he's not in orbit he has to be somewhere. Did you see the X-Files two-part episode this season with the time-warp element in it? Mulder trades bodies with some guy, but some of the others affected didn't fare as well. A few were fused inside of rocks and the like. Thanks for your patience, doc! Don
From: Doctor TOC
Don Steffen
wrote:
I just wonder why
they wouldn't have a computer do it. Certainly a computer can react
faster, and can be far more accurate than a human pilot could. But then,
we needed a plot device that required a man (or woman as we're quick
to add in the 90's) with Parker's particular abilities.
There I agree with you. In the context of the show it's hard to see why a computer couldn't do the job that Parker does, unless of course it could but they haven't got the bugs out of the program yet (obviously written by Microsoft). Maybe one of the earlier failures proved that current computers can't react thet same way as a human can (unlikely but possible). Or maybe theres an upper limit on the amount of mass the sphere can shift back, and the additional computer hardware and the necessary EM shielding for it would weigh too much? Possibilities all. Interestingly, it looks like the problem will be solved before too long. The future time vessel used by Olga's husband had no joystick that I could see, implying that either they use a different control interface or that the navigation is "now" handled by computer. Perhaps they should add a digital readout to the bottom of the screen, showing time rolling back as the sphere dives back toward the Earth. Ooh! That'd help! Anyone from the show reading this? I don't think we've got anyone from the show reading this. Perhaps we should drop them a line?
---[ It should be noted, we now see a readout of the days and time reversing ]--- Did you see the X-Files two-part episode this season with the time-warp element in it? Mulder trades bodies with some guy, but some of the others affected didn't fare as well. A few were fused inside of rocks and the like. Oh yeah. I *liked* that, particularly the explanation for why they were still alive. Thanks for your patience, doc! My pleasure Don. Glad to be of help.
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