Long before the events that transpired in the film "Dark Star" took place, the United States' "Atomic Exploration Committee" set about determining the feasibility of long-range space flights powered by means of nuclear energy.

Once initial funding became available, engineering groups set about planning a series of relatively small craft designs. The goal was to do little more than get a small human crew to other planets in our solar system, and back again safely, primarily as an early proof-of-concept phase. Work would continue, once data from these programs had properly been evaluated. Various designs were drawn up and evaluated, before the scientists settled upon a lifting body shape, capable of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere

The first few test flights failed, to say the least. When they did, they often did so in the most spectacular and novel fashions imaginable. As it turned out, one of the only saving graces of the early engine and flight control sub-system's testing was that the designs were scaled down, to better enable fuel savings by conserving vehicle mass.

In one quietly infamous incident -- known well only to those with the highest possible security clearances -- the entire program was nearly scrapped. The debacle escaped public attention only because certain freak occurrences were fortuitously timed. Unexpected Y2K-style computer problems resulted in scheduled press releases not going out before an important launch. Not knowing there was to be a launch, few suspected the flight's high altitude mega-explosion, coupled with cascading sonic concussions and various wreckage burning colorfully as it fell to earth, for what it was. Coming as it did, right at the stroke of midnight, the high altitude displays blended in well with low and medium level fireworks displays. The whole thing was hushed up immediately; various witnesses paid off; and all future tests were done in only the strictest secrecy, with maximum efforts made at semi-plausible deniability.

When testing had progressed far enough for a small craft to actually be made, and flown, the craft seen here resulted. In terms of shape, the final design is similar to the craft that the crew of the "Dark Star" called home, much later. (Note the lack of an observation dome; and booster rocket attachment points. This, along with scale and markings, are the only easily noticeable difference in the two crafts.)

This experimental craft's claim to fame is not that it got its crew to neighboring planets. (Notice the suspicious absence of "...and back"!) It did manage to get them there: landing safely. The crew planted a flag on Mars, did some serious Public Relations taping, some relatively trivial scientific testing, and then tried to take off again. (The whole thing was recorded, but not aired live, for reasons learned all too well in the program's earlier stages. No one in the program needed big failures on Prime Time.)

No one is really certain what failed, or why. What is all too well known, however, is when the down-scaled spacecraft plummeted back to Mars' surface, it caused damage not only to itself, and its crew, but to the planet itself. Nearly a fifth of the planet was destroyed in the unforeseen wreck.

Having not previously aired any of this project's PR footage, the AEC Project Press Corps - a good third of the total payroll, at the time - was later able to describe the whole program in glowing "we meant to do that" terms.

A good deal of cut footage later: the craft was described as an experimental weapon, instead of a manned exploration craft. As a result of the successful weapons test, funding levels went up immediately ... and massively. No mention was made of the now-vaporized crew: hard on recruiting efforts!

Scientists studying the data learned various and sundry tips and tricks, useful only to those wanting to destroy entire worlds. With a bit more practice, other flights - this time truly unmanned - managed to destroy other bodies in the heavens ... but at a considerable added distance. Some were planned, some not: guidance systems needed much work.

The program ended up being responsible for designing both the Thermo-Stellar devices seen in "Dark Star," and a craft capable of delivering them. You know the rest of the story.

The Model

This model began life as a scratch-built study tool of sorts, to help me to better determine the real contours of the studio model of the Dark Star, as built by Greg Jein. Work began on it in 2002; I based most of it on Ron Cobb's early pre-production drawings. I have since found and studied the later drawings that Dan O'Bannon handed to Greg Jein, when the latter actually built the studio model. The model, as seen here, taught me a lot about what the real thing must have looked like, or could not have been like, in terms of its contours.

Construction began with a sheet plastic framework, which later had balsa wood (filler) added in places. This was covered with Bondo automotive filler, to get the main shape mostly correct. From there, I used various automotive putties, to smooth things out. I decided that the ship, being all white, would be a bit too boring. So I went with a "burning up on reentry" sort of look to the final finish.

Image: Front view

Image: Top/rear

Image: Underneath