Author Topic: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans  (Read 13504 times)

Offline Blackstar

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The FX series "The Americans" is about a couple of KGB agents working in Washington in 1981. In episode three they bought some plans for the American missile shield. I took these pictures off the TV screen, so the quality is not great.

Offline R7

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #1 on: 02/24/2013 08:13 pm »
Thanks for the tip, started watching the show from the start. Nice quality, Homeland in the 80s! I tried to tweak some extra contrast/sharpness from the player.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2013 01:28 pm by R7 »
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Offline Graham2001

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #2 on: 02/25/2013 07:41 am »
That's one I'll keep an eye out for when it comes out on disk.

It'll be interesting to see how many people outside the space community will recognise the spacecraft they've used for the basis.

I haven't been so annoyed with the entertainment media since 'Dark Skies' slandered Carl Sagan.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2013 07:50 pm by Graham2001 »

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #3 on: 02/25/2013 12:15 pm »
Thanks for the tip, started watching the show for the start. Nice quality, Homeland in the 80s! I tried to tweak some extra contrast/sharpness from the player.

Did you take my image and tweak it or did you zap it off your own player?

I actually substantially reduced the file sizes and then just uploaded them here. I didn't try to improve them in any way, but could have. Could just load the full size images and let somebody else mess with them if they want.

Offline DARPA-86

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #4 on: 02/25/2013 01:14 pm »
The FX series "The Americans" is about a couple of KGB agents working in Washington in 1981. In episode three they bought some plans for the American missile shield. I took these pictures off the TV screen, so the quality is not great.
Would be a great opportunity for SpaceX to buy Ad time for their new television commercial - like they have started running on FOX News.  FX may have same parent company - maybe they could get a discount.

Offline apace

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #5 on: 02/25/2013 01:20 pm »
Would be a great opportunity for SpaceX to buy Ad time for their new television commercial - like they have started running on FOX News.  FX may have same parent company - maybe they could get a discount.

What's the content of this commercial? Somewhere available?

Offline R7

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #6 on: 02/25/2013 01:27 pm »
Frame from 1080p digital source. Saved as png instead of jpg to minimize compression defects. Looked frame by frame for best shot. Can't make out the small text on the left under LaserLab in any frame. Probably same as in original.

Apparently photoshopped from attached original, Apollo lost SPS and skewed into funny biconic shape.

edit: the "Interceptor" seems to be purely artistic origins?
« Last Edit: 02/25/2013 02:09 pm by R7 »
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Offline R7

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #7 on: 02/25/2013 01:32 pm »
[What's the content of this commercial? Somewhere available?

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Offline Blackstar

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #8 on: 02/25/2013 05:05 pm »
The FX series "The Americans" is about a couple of KGB agents working in Washington in 1981. In episode three they bought some plans for the American missile shield. I took these pictures off the TV screen, so the quality is not great.
Would be a great opportunity for SpaceX to buy Ad time for their new television commercial - like they have started running on FOX News.  FX may have same parent company - maybe they could get a discount.

What? Why? Why associate SpaceX with this subject at all? There's no connection.

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #9 on: 02/25/2013 05:10 pm »
Because, even the Irianian's should be building pads for SpaceX to use ;)
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Offline Jim

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #10 on: 02/25/2013 06:07 pm »
The FX series "The Americans" is about a couple of KGB agents working in Washington in 1981. In episode three they bought some plans for the American missile shield. I took these pictures off the TV screen, so the quality is not great.
Would be a great opportunity for SpaceX to buy Ad time for their new television commercial - like they have started running on FOX News.  FX may have same parent company - maybe they could get a discount.

What? Why? Why associate SpaceX with this subject at all? There's no connection.

Yep, further proof that every thread will have a Spacex tie in.  There is no other aerospace companies according to people like this.

Even better, why not have the companies that built the "anti-missile platform", like Boeing and Lockheed Martin have advertisements.  They at least have a connection.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #11 on: 02/25/2013 06:40 pm »
Even better, why not have the companies that built the "anti-missile platform", like Boeing and Lockheed Martin have advertisements.  They at least have a connection.

It's a show set in 1981. Lockheed Martin did not exist then. I say only companies that existed in 1981 should advertise, like Circuit City and Montgomery Ward.

Offline Jim

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #12 on: 02/25/2013 06:48 pm »
Even better, why not have the companies that built the "anti-missile platform", like Boeing and Lockheed Martin have advertisements.  They at least have a connection.

It's a show set in 1981. Lockheed Martin did not exist then. I say only companies that existed in 1981 should advertise, like Circuit City and Montgomery Ward.

Should have said the companies with the legacy contractors.
McDonnell-Douglas, Rockwell and Martin Marietta.

Offline BrightLight

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #13 on: 02/25/2013 07:00 pm »
I got to get me one of them nuclear x-ray lasers - I've been looking all over the ACME catalog- can't find one.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #14 on: 02/25/2013 07:50 pm »
Note that it's not an "X-ray" laser, it's a "X laser." That might be harder to find.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #15 on: 02/25/2013 07:51 pm »
Should have said the companies with the legacy contractors.
McDonnell-Douglas, Rockwell and Martin Marietta.

Yeah, but we're all being absurd about this. It's a show about KGB spies in 1981 Washington, DC. What's the appropriate advertising for that?

Offline Jim

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #16 on: 02/25/2013 07:53 pm »
Should have said the companies with the legacy contractors.
McDonnell-Douglas, Rockwell and Martin Marietta.

Yeah, but we're all being absurd about this. It's a show about KGB spies in 1981 Washington, DC. What's the appropriate advertising for that?

Stoli

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #17 on: 02/25/2013 07:54 pm »
Rocky and Bullwinkle season 1 and 2 DVD's ;)
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Online Thorny

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #18 on: 02/25/2013 07:58 pm »
For those in the US interested in "The Americans", its network, FX will be re-running the first five episodes on Friday, March 1 beginning at 10pm Eastern.

Offline BrightLight

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Re: Skylab as anti-missile platform in "The Americans
« Reply #19 on: 02/25/2013 08:00 pm »
Note that it's not an "X-ray" laser, it's a "X laser." That might be harder to find.
You are correct, i have to admit, X lasers are quite rare.
The nuclear pumped x ray lasers are small and don't need a sky-lab sized facility, just a Fort Knox sized bank account.

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