Journey Into Space was a BBC Radio science fiction programme, written by BBC producer Charles Chilton. Three series were produced, which have been translated into 17 languages[1] and broadcast worldwide.[1] In the UK it was the last radio programme to attract a bigger evening audience than television.[2]

The first series was created in 1953, soon after Riders of the Range (a popular Western, also written by Chilton) ended its six seasons on the BBC Light Programme. Michael Standing, then Head of the BBC Variety Department, asked Chilton if he could write a sci-fi programme, and Journey to the Moon (later known as Operation Luna) was the result.[2]

Each half-hour episode would usually end with a dramatic cliffhanger (a popular plot device used to increase the audience's incentive to tune in to the next episode).

Chilton went on to write three best-selling novels based upon the radio series. From April 1956, the Express Weekly comic ran a full colour comic strip of Journey Into Space, with new stories written by Chilton (one story title was Planet of Fear), drawn first by Tacconi, and then by Bruce Cornwall and Terence Patrick.[3] Further details of this cartoon strip sequel are provided after our analysis of the Third radio series.