The 14th episode of the syndicated science fiction Science Fiction Theatre airs on stations across the U.S. Hosted by Truman Bradley, the episode stars Edmund Gwenn and Donald Curtis.
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The United States launches the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear weapons test, detonating a 1.4 megaton warhead at an altitude of 250 miles, the largest space-based nuclear test to date. The flash of the detonation creates a brief “false sunrise” over much of the Pacific Ocean, as well as an unusual auroral display resulting from the sudden release of charged particles trapped within Earth’s magnetic field. An electromagnetic pulse is also observed, more powerful than expected, causing some damage to the Hawaiian power grid. The radiation released in low Earth orbit also interferes with some satellites, including shortening their operational life spans (this includes the Telstar communications satellite, not launched until the next day). Starfish Prime is part of the “Fishbowl” series of high-altitude nuclear tests.
The 125th episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. This is the first complete story to take place in modern day England since An Unearthly Child.
This timeline entry leads to an entry covering this entire Doctor Who serial; there are plans to write new episodic entries in the future. You can support this effort!
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The tenth episode of The Tomorrow People is broadcast on ITV. Kevin Stoney (Doctor Who) and John Woodnutt (Knights Of God) guest star in the first part of a four-part serial. 
The 12th episode of Terry Nation’s post-apocalyptic series Survivors airs on BBC1.
Mattel Electronics releases the Lock ‘n’ Chase cartridge for the Intellivision home video game system, based on the Data East arcade game of the same name.
Walt Disney Records releases Wendy Carlos’ soundtrack from the movie Tron. Two Journey songs also appear on the album.
Disney’s Tron – the first movie to pay homage to the ’80s video game craze and the first movie to arrive with video game tie-ins already in the works – premieres in theaters. Starring Bruce Boxleitner and Jeff Bridges, the film establishes of the most distinctive visual idea of the decade, that of a person being “sucked into” the digital world, where glowing body armor is worn. 
Premium cable channel Showtime airs the 156th episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of Leslie Stevens’ 1960s science fiction anthology series. Jason London, Saul Rubinek, and Alyssa Milano (Charmed) guest star.
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The eighth episode of the adult-themed science fiction anthology series Perversions Of Science, based largely on stories published in Weird Science magazine, premieres on cable network HBO. Jennifer Hetrick, Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), and Sean Astin guest star.
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Pete Conrad, the Apollo 12 commander who was the third human to walk on the moon, dies at the age of 69 from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. Conrad went to the moon in November 1969, and flew two earlier Gemini missions, one of which was a new human endurance record at the time. Conrad later went on to set a new record for time spent by a human in space (28 days, unprecedented at the time) in 1973 as a member of the first Skylab crew. Conrad and fellow Skylab astronaut Joseph Kerwin performed an extended and very hazardous spacewalk to repair the station, which had been heavily damaged during launch a few weeks before its crew arrived.
The paranoid thriller Arlington Road is released, starring Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, and Joan Cusack.
Showtime airs the 103rd episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series. Kevin Nealon (Saturday Night Live) and Ronny Cox (Robocop, Total Recall) guest star.
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Sci-Fi Channel airs the 73rd episode of the science fiction series Sliders, starring Cleavant Derricks, Kari Wuhrer, Robert Floyd, and Tembi Locke.
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Sliders now streaming on Amazon Prime
This series is not fully chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.
Pay cable channel Showtime premieres the 46th episode of Stargate SG-1.
Sci-Fi Channel premieres the 11th episode of Farscape. (Early episodes of this series are aired out of the producers’ preferred story order or, for that matter, production order.)
The 154th episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, and Christopher Judge. This is the eighth season premiere.
The 155th episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, and Christopher Judge.
Magic Bullet Productions, the makers of the Kaldor City audio series, release The Logic Of Empire, an unofficial audio drama continuation set in the world of Terry Nation’s Blake’s 7. Available on cassette tape, the story features Paul Darrow as Avon, Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan, and Peter Tuddenham as Orac; Trevor Cooper (Star Cops) is also featured.
BBC1 airs the 30th episode of Russell T. Davies’ science fiction series Torchwood. Unlike previous seasons, this season – subtitled Children Of Earth – is only five episodes long, broadcast at a rate of one installment per night, with the implication that the story is unfolding more or less in real time. Peter Capaldi and Paul Copley guest star.
Reprise Records releases Hans Zimmer‘s soundtrack from the movie Inception.
Syfy airs the 44th episode of the science fiction series Eureka, starring Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, and Joe Morton. James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) and Tembi Locke (Sliders) guest star in the fourth season premiere.
More about Eureka in the LogBook and theLogBook.com Store
Eureka now streaming on Amazon Prime
Syfy airs the 76th episode of the science fiction series Eureka, starring Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, and Joe Morton. Felicia Day (Mystery Science Theater 3000), Tembi Locke (Sliders), and Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) guest star.
More about Eureka in the LogBook and theLogBook.com Store
Eureka now streaming on Amazon Prime
Big Finish Productions releases the 201st Doctor Who audio drama in its main monthly range, starring Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford.