by Amber Dubin
Lucky episode number seven of Night Gallery feels more like a short film than some of the others. It’s a little lop-sided in its delivery, containing one segment over 40 minutes long while the second is less than 10, but both feature incredible acting and meaningful plots. It does make sense that these stories would be paired, however, as both feature middle-aged protagonists lamenting changing times and the loss of their glory days.
by David Levinson
Hating the other
As I reported back in April, the leaders of West Pakistan have made it clear that they are unwilling to accept a democratically elected parliament which places government in the hands of Bengali people from East Pakistan. At the time I handed in my article, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the East Pakistani Awami League and expected new Prime Minister of all Pakistan, had been arrested; East Pakistan had declared independence as Bangla Desh; the Pakistani army was bombing cities in East Pakistan; and Bengali refugees were streaming toward India, which had opened its border to them. Since then, things have gotten worse.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in military custody in West Pakistan
On April 3rd, Tajuddin Ahmad, the general secretary of the Awami League, met with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to ask for aid. The results of that meeting are unknown, but Ahmad used an Indian plane on a daring mission to find as many high-ranking Awami politicians as he could. Sometime between the 10th and 12th, those men met in Agartala, India to issue a provisional constitution and assign cabinet offices. Sheikh Mujib was named President in absentia and Ahmad was named Vice President and acting President.
Two weeks later, they met in the as yet unoccupied town of Baidyanathtala, close to the Indian border, to take their oath of office. The proclamation of independence was also read out. Fearing attack by the Pakistani army, the new government quickly crossed back into India and established the seat of the government in exile in Calcutta.
Meanwhile, refugees continue to flee toward India by the hundreds of thousands. They bring with them stories of massacres being perpetrated by the Pakistani army, with refugees being rounded up and machine-gunned in large numbers. Apparently, loyalty to Pakistan and adherence to Islam aren’t enough to keep Bengalis from being murdered. The principle of kill them all and let God sort them out has a long tradition.
Tajuddin Ahmad, the current leader of the Bangla Desh government in exile.
Tajuddin Ahmad has issued appeals to neighboring countries to recognize Bangla Desh and to offer unconditional military aid. He has also asked Bengalis living abroad to give whatever aid they can. The war is not the only problem the new country faces. Famine would also seem to be impending. The economies of the two Pakistans are tightly connected and the disruptions is already affecting both halves. One businessman in West Pakistan told a reporter that they had, after all, lost a colony.
That attitude probably sums up the roots of this disaster better than anything else.
Seeking the other
Science fiction often deals with interactions with people who are different from us. This month’s IF really dives into examining others who aren’t like us.
Suggested by “To Seek Another.” Art by Gaughan
Continue reading [June 2, 1971] Others (July-August 1971 IF)
by Kaye Dee
A recent picture of Mars, taken with the new 88-inch telescope on Mount Mauna-kea, Hawaii
Through a Window, Quickly
This year Mars is making its closest approach to the Earth since 1956, reducing the travel time to reach the Red Planet. Now that the launch window for Mars transit has opened, both the United States and the Soviet Union have wasted no time taking advantage of it, each nation sending a pair of spacecraft towards the Red Planet this past month. Once again, The Traveller has kindly given me a space to provide an update on these next steps in the exploration of the Solar System.
Not Plain Sailing
NASA was the first off the mark, with the 8 May (US time) launch of Mariner-8 (also known as Mariner-H), the first of the twin Mariner Mars '71 Mission spacecraft. The Mariner Mars '71 project was planned to consist of two identical spacecraft, each of which would go into orbit around Mars, performing separate, but complementary, missions.
Unfortunately, Mariner-8 didn’t even make it to low Earth orbit, with the upper stage of its Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle tumbling out of control and dumping the spacecraft into the Atlantic Ocean about 350 miles north of Puerto Rico.
The accident investigation has already discovered the cause of the vehicle loss: a malfunction in the pitch rate gyro amplifier.
Second Time Lucky
But at least the second half of Mariner Mars ’71 is proceeding. Mariner-9’s launch was delayed while NASA investigated the loss of Mariner-8, but just a few hours ago as I write this, Mariner-9 (alias Mariner-I) has launched successfully from Cape Kennedy on 30 May and is now on its way to Mars. The space agency is also hoping that it might be able to pull together a back-up mission before the Mars launch window closes, to join Mariner-9 as a replacement for Mariner-8. However, if that doesn’t happen, plans are already being made to combine as much as possible of Mariner-8’s planned observations into Mariner-9’s mission profile.
The current plan is for Mariner-9 to operate for a minimum of 90 days in Mars orbit gathering data on the composition and characteristics of the atmosphere and the topography and characteristics of the planet’s surface. The spacecraft is expected to take about 6,500 photographs of Mars during its first 90 days in orbit.
A full-size display model of the Mariner-9 probe now on its way to Mars. The lost Mariner-8 was identical
Red Stars to the Red Planet
Seven years after its first Mars mission (Mars-1), the Soviet Union is off to a better start than NASA, with both its Mars spacecraft (Mars-2 and Mars-3) safely on their way to the Red Planet – although it has been suggested that Cosmos-419, launched on May 10, may also have been a Mars mission that failed to leave Earth orbit. Speculation is that this spacecraft could have been intended to steal the honour of the first spacecraft into Mars orbit ahead of the Mariner probes by taking a slightly faster trajectory.
As ever with Soviet space missions, very little information has so far been forthcoming about these Mars probes. Mars-2, launched on 19 May, is reported by the TASS news agency to weigh around 10,250 lb, making it considerably larger than the USSR’s most recent Venus probe, Venera-7 (which weighed in at 2,602 lb) and about five times heavier than Mariner 9.
A photo provided by my friends at the Weapons Research Establishment, which is said to show the Mars-2 spacecraft. The "conical hat" at the top of the probe may be the heatshield for a landing vehicle carrying a small rover.
A "Mars Walker"?
Mars-3, which launched on 28 May, would appear to be very similar, if not identical, to Mars-2. TASS has indicated that the two Mars missions might help to clarify whether life might exist on Mars and in what form, as well as investigating the structure of the Martian atmosphere and the nature of the so-called Martian "canals" (although the images from Mariners 4, 5 and 6 already indicate that they do not exist at all).
TASS has not indicated whether Mars-2 or 3 will attempt to land on Mars or just orbit the planet, like Mariner-9, but there are rumors that one of the two probes could be carrying a “Marsokhod” – a vehicle similar to Lunokhod-1 to explore the Martian surface.
This isn't a Russian probe; it's a Mars Rover prototype recently developed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students and faculty—not yet flown of course
Mariner 9 is following approximately the same flightpath as the two Soviet spacecraft, and all three are expected to arrive at Mars in November. Watch out for our mission updates once they arrive in Martian orbit!
And meanwhile, now it's back to The Traveller for his next reviews.
by Gideon Marcus
Science Fact vs. Science Fiction
Isaac Asimov famously gave up writing science fiction vocationally when Sputnik went up in 1957—real-world advances in science had outstripped our imagination when it comes to delivering an exciting story. Well, nothing proves the point better than contrasting the exciting news Kaye just relayed to you and this month's Analog…
Cover by Kelly Freas
by George Pritchard
Almost two years after her introduction to the planet of Pern, home of dragons that can traverse space and time in a blink (oh, and their riders are there, too), Anne McCaffrey has returned with a sequel to Dragonflight: Dragonquest.
Dragon, man, and fire-lizard! (Cover by Gino D'Achille)
Continue reading [May 28, 1971] Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey
by Gideon Marcus
I've just flown back from Tokyo, and boy are my arms tired!
In all seriousness, every time we go back to Japan, we discover some kind of gem. Whether it's the latest giant monster movie or an interesting cartoon, there's always something unique going on in the land across the Pacific. This time is no exception.
Continue reading [May 26, 1971] Science Fiction of the Rising Sun (Manga and Animation in Japan)
It was at the gas station browsing through the spinner rack when I really noticed Frank Frazetta’s work. A pulp book, titled “Conan the Adventurer” grabbed my attention with the image of a muscular primitive man and a scantily clad young woman clinging to his leg. Behind them was a scene of armageddon, featuring skeletons, flames, and carnage, presumably after a battle took place. I had been familiar with Frazetta’s work through the Famous Funnies and his illustrations in “Lil Abner”.
But frankly, I had forgotten about him until that moment. It seems that he’s traded pencil and ink in favor of a canvas and oil painting. And shocking as this image may be for some, the quality of his work has me tempted to think this could hang in a fine art museum. It almost feels a shame to feature this on something so mass produced. Then again, if it hadn’t been, perhaps he wouldn’t be on track to becoming a household name…
“Conan the Adventurer” by Robert E. Howard, art by Frank Frazetta, 1966.
Continue reading [May 24, 1971] Frank Frazetta: A Brute in Fine Arts (Artist Biography)
by Jason Sacks
Please note: I will be discussing the endings to all the Planet of the Apes films in this review. If you don’t want to have the endings ruined for you, go to your local theater and watch the latest film, then come back to this review. Thank you!
After the cataclysmic events of Beneath the Planet of the Apes you might logically believe there was no possibility of another sequel film.
But you would have been wrong. Escape from the Planet of the Apes has now appeared in theatres. And let me tell you, it’s a happening, man.
There are apes on the space capsule!
Continue reading [May 22, 1971] Escape from the Planet of the Apes
by Kaye Dee
Before the Traveller gives us his pearls of wisdom on the latest FSF issue, he’s offered me some space for an update on two of the current missions that I’ve covered in recent months.
Still Moon Walking
The USSR’s Lunokhod-1 remotely-controlled rover, which Soviet sources have dubbed “the Model-T of Moon robots”, has now completed six months exploring the Moon, covering more than five miles across the surface of the Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains).
Wheel tracks on the surface of the Moon, made by Lunokhod-1 as it trundles across Mare Imbrium
According to the newspaper Pravda, the vehicle is still functioning satisfactorily, even though its systems “began to give out” at the beginning of its fifth lunar day in early April [remember, a full "lunar day" is about 28 Earth days. -ed.] Despite some problems, Lunokhod then seemed to find its second wind, continuing to “live, work and move about” well into its sixth lunar day. However, a Pravda report on 17 May indicated that the rover is again beginning to lose its power, and is now “being activated on a month-to-month basis by the Crimea tracking station”.
Set of Soviet stamps marking the Lunokhod-1 mission. Each stamp depicts a different aspect of the mission: Luna-17 landing on the Moon, carrying Lunokhod-1; the rover's first wheel tracks on the surface of the Moon; the tracking antenna in the Crimea used to communicate with Lunokhod, with an inset showing one of the rover drivers in front of his control screen; and Lunokhod-1 travelling across the lunar surface
Originally designed to last for perhaps three lunar days, Lunokhod-1 has turned out to be much hardier than its creators expected, though the Soviet Union is now indicating that the rover is moving into “a new mode of operation requiring only minimum movements.” It seems that Lunokhod will now remain in a state of semi-hibernation, photographing the area around its present location and transmitting data back to Earth until its instruments finally fail. When that happens, Lunokhod will become a “monument unto itself” according to an Ivzestia commentary, which suggested that “The future inhabitants of the Moon may set up a memorial plaque beside Lunokhod”.
Revealing the X-ray Galaxy
Back in January, I covered the story of the Uhuru X-ray astronomy satellite, launched last December. This world-first space astronomy mission is producing significant results – so much so that NASA already considers it a major success, as they announced on 13 May.
Some telemetry issues marred the earliest stages of the mission, and on 23 January the onboard tape recorder for storing data failed. This required NASA to request receiving stations along Uhuru’s equatorial orbital path to record data transmitted to Earth in real-time and forward it to the space agency. This work-around is allowing about half of the data observed during each orbit to be recovered.
Despite the technical issues, NASA has praised the quality of the data gathered so far by the mission, and the satellite’s instrumentation is functioning well, exceeding many of its design objectives.
Regions of the sky scanned by Uhuru up to 23 January, 1971. The map is given in celestial coordinates, and shows the location of several interesting objects as well as of known X-ray sources. X-ray sources are shown with open octagons.
The satellite has already completed full systematic scanning of the galactic plane, and has scanned 95% of the overall celestial sphere. Data relevant to every aspect of observational X-ray astronomy has already been obtained, and significant unexpected phenomena have been observed. The discovery of three new X-ray pulsars – Cygnus X-1, Centaurus X-3, and Lupus X-1 – has revealed a new class of pulsating x-ray source, differing from the already-known x-ray pulsar in the Crab Nebula. Hopefully, Uhuru will go on operating for some time yet and continue to expand our knowledge of the mysterious, invisible X-ray cosmos.
And with that exciting space news, I now turn over the typewriter to Gideon, who has news of a completely different sort!
by Gideon Marcus
Thanks, Kaye! Well, the latest issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction starts with a bang, and while the rest doesn't live up to the promise of the lead story, it's still worth a read. Let's dive in!
cover by David A. Hardy
Continue reading [May 20, 1971] June 1971 Fantasy and Science Fiction and Space Update
By Jessica Holmes
Doctor Who’s foray into the Western genre winds towards its conclusion, and with tensions rising between the colonists and prospectors, it’s only a matter of time before things turn violent. Will the arrival of the adjudicator help keep a lid on things, or fan the flames of war? And can the Doctor and Jo avoid being caught in the crossfire? Let’s see how things turned out in "Colony In Space."
Continue reading [May 18th, 1971] It Could Have Been More (Doctor Who: Colony In Space [Parts 4-6])
And now, here is part two of the May 1971 Galactoscope featuring stories in the depths of space and the far future, as well as the work of an SF master…
![[June 4, 1971] <em>Night Gallery</em>: "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" and "The Last Laurel"](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Randy-672x372.jpg)
![[June 2, 1971] Others (July-August 1971 <i>IF</i>)](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IF_1971_08-Cover-482x372.jpg)
![[May 31, 1971] Red Planet, Here We Come! (US and Soviet Mars Missions) and the June 1971 <i>Analog</i>](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/710531analogcover-672x372.jpg)
![[May 28, 1971] <i>Dragonquest</i> by Anne McCaffrey](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dragonquest-Cover-380x372.jpg)
![[May 26, 1971] Science Fiction of the Rising Sun (Manga and Animation in Japan)](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sexaroidcovers-672x372.jpg)
![[May 24, 1971] Frank Frazetta: A Brute in Fine Arts (Artist Biography)](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/frazetta-princess-of-mars-672x372.jpg)
![[May 22, 1971] Escape from the Planet of the Apes](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/escape1-672x372.jpg)
![[May 20, 1971] June 1971 <i>Fantasy and Science Fiction</i> and Space Update](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/710520fsfcover-665x372.jpg)
![[May 18th, 1971] It Could Have Been More (<i>Doctor Who</i>: Colony In Space [Parts 4-6])](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/720518primitive-672x372.jpg)
![[May 17, 1971] Dumarest, Our Gang, and the Work of an SF Master… (May Galactoscope #2)](https://galacticjourney.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/glac0518a-672x372.jpg)