the Fires of Mercury

plot
Professor Haggerty discovers that his ant-language-translating machine can also be used to convert heat waves to radio waves.  Pluto has now moved out of range of the sun’s heat and will have to be evacuated if a solution is not found.  Colonel Raeburn is worried that, as Plutonite – the metal from which Galaspheres are made – is mined on Pluto, this could mean the end of Space Patrol.  Marla suggests using Professor Haggerty’s new invention to send heat from Mercury to Pluto.  Haggerty develops another machine which converts radio waves back to heat waves.  Dart and his crew accept the mission of placing the transmitter on Mercury and Space Patrol is saved.

notes
This episode comes 16th in the video release order, whilst the Buried Spaceship comes 10th, which causes a continuity error, as the heat receiver appears in that episode before it is invented in this one.

credits
a National Interest Picture production
produced by Roberta Leigh and Arthur Provis
directed by Frank Goulding
created & written by Roberta Leigh
voices by Libby Morris, Dick Vosburgh, Ronnie Stevens, Murray Cash
puppetry by Martin & Heather Granger, Joan Garrick
electronics by F.C. Judd
space consultant: Colin Ronan
RCA sound recording
script assistant: Denise Kaye
cameraman: Arthur Provis
editor: John Beaton
art director: Roland Whiteside
models: Derek Freeborn
special effects & animation: Bill Palmer, Brian Stevens, Bert Walker