the Rings of Saturn

plot
While observing Saturn in the Galasphere, Dart and his crew make contact with a Saturnian spaceship.  Dart flies over to the ship and, although he cannot understand the Saturnians’ language, finds that they are quite friendly.  The Saturnians take him back to Saturn with them.  When he returns to Space Headquarters with a tape of the Saturnian language, the Saturnians send a message to Earth saying that they will never be allowed back to their planet as Dart has taken some leaves from their sacred tree.  Dart persuades Raeburn to allow him to return to Saturn and Husky and Slim agree to go with him.  After breaking through the planet’s rings, which act as a guard against alien invaders, the crew is taken to an underground cave system where they meet the Saturnian leader.  He tells them that his race would be glad to join the UGO and allows Dart to keep the leaves he took.

notes
The Saturnians would later appear in the episodes the Miracle Tree of Saturn and the Grass of Saturn.
Saturn’s four rings each emit a different type of radiation.  The first ring causes the Galasphere’s controls to stop working.  The second ring causes it to shake violently, the third emits blinding ultraviolet light and the fourth subjects anything that comes within its path around the planet to extreme heat.

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: Len Walter
art director: Roland Whiteside
models: Derek Freeborn
special effects & animation: Bill Palmer, Brian Stevens, Bert Walker