Space Shuttle Hijacked | Moonraker (1979)

Space shuttle 'Moonraker' built by Drax Industries for British Government is being carried on a large cargo plane on it's way to delivery. Unaware by the others, there are two intruders hiding inside the shuttle. When the cargo is at the mid-air, they take control of 'Moonraker' and fly it off. This results the carrier cargo plane gets on fire and explodes ...

Film : Moonraker (1979)
Directed by : Lewis Gilbert
Produced by : Albert R. Broccoli
Distributed by : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (United Artists)

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★

[seandoherty]

Considering this film was made two years before the real shuttle took off in 1981 I think the scenes with the Moonraker take-offs are damn brilliant and they certainly look authentic. The film producers did their homework into what the real shuttles would be doing.

[TCFan]

Hoodlums hot wiring a shuttle and taking it for a joyride is all too common in the mean streets of the upper atmosphere.

[gabrielbennett]

My grandfather, Victor Horton, was the flight engineer for the real 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft when "Moonraker" (1979) came out. He always thought this scene was stupid, because the Shuttle main engines would have had no fuel without the external tank.

[coopersteves]

The score in this scene is amazing. Makes me wish the whole soundtrack was released.

[zanson]

fun fact: even though the first space shuttle was not launched, this is the one of the only movies that got the whole launch right

[ronaldmcdonald]

Man this film is so much fun to watch, I remember seeing it for the first time on TV some time in the late 90s and loving it. Although my favourite Bond film is licence to kill, because it's more hard hitting and darker then the others. I though the best Roger Moor film was for your eyes only because that too it the grittiest Roger Moor film, it's all about the Greek criminal under world and a vendetta of a women against those who planed the murder of her parents.

[chrisL]

Everyone in the comments acting like it's a documentary. Movies are hardly ever factually correct.

[EdWoods]

Moonraker was made and screened before the first powered Shuttle launch. Therefore the details they had to go on were somewhat sketchy when they were making it. There is a bit of a logical issue about there being a Shuttle ignition light, but assuming that the thing was transported fully fuelled (which we now know it wouldn't be), there's a sort of logic in having a warning light.
The filmmakers may have been unaware that the Shuttle required the external fuel tank.
If the aim was to escape from the carrier plane and then glide to wherever they were intending to take it to (Drax was in France and the plane was close to France), I suppose that igniting the engines makes sense, even if it would've involved gliding across France and landing there undetected!
There are all sorts of logical fallacies in this and in the rest of the film, but it's escapism and not a documentary on how to steal a Space Shuttle.

[Watcher]

I recall stories about people writing to NASA referencing this scene, worried that the real space shuttle could be stolen just like that.

Of course, this wouldn't have been possible. I won't go into detail why as it seems a lot of people have already made the effort here.

[devilsoffspring]

"Built by Drax Industries for the British Government"
--Identical copy to American Space Shuttle
--But, can be launched without its fuel tank :)

[johnguilfoyle]

It's odd that the actors and directors thought it necessary for two hijackers, alone on the Space Shuttle, to crouch down when emerging from their concealment. From who are they trying to hide?

[garethmurtagh]

The Space Shuttle did carry its own fuel, for the Orbital Propulsion System engines and it’s attitude thrusters. But these wouldn’t have fuelled the SSME engines that ignite here. This fuel would never have been added before a transport flight.

Also apart from the prototype Enterprise for its Approach and Landing Tests, the Shuttles couldn’t release the attachments to the 747 on their own, the were loaded and unloaded by a giant crane. Apart from things like this I love Moonraker, it’s cheesy and ridiculous but it’s fun!

[georgebachaalani]

One of the most awesome scenes ever! Moonraker is so far the best James Bond 007 movie of all times! I never get bored from watching it... fristly seen in the early 1980s, greetings to Sir Roger Moor's soul and to all its beloved actors ❤, scenes start from sky to UK to USA to Venice to Rio De Janeiro to the Amazon river and then to outer space ! extremely AMAZING and perfect film!

[harryc]

That RAF guy was in The Spy Who Loved Me, died in that one to i think!!

[iand.]

Moonraker was one of my earlier favourites as I remember going to watch it at the cinema when I was 9 years old. However, over time my view of the film has changed and I have to concur with one Bond critic who said that with this one, the parts were more impressive than the whole. I also recall a paperback version written by Christopher Wood, where certain aspects of the plot differ significantly from what was shown in the film. I do wonder sometimes if Moonraker would benefit from a rewrite, as happened with Thunderball/Never Never Never Again.

[Hummingbirdrock]

" And there's no signs of the Moonraker Shuttle in the wreckage, we've been over it with a fine tooth comb search in British Columbia "

[paveldolezal]

The best movie scene even if not realistic one.

[MrSupercar]

Far fetched af, since the Shuttle itself never carried any jungle juice. Its fuel came from an external tank and two solid rocket boosters.

[davidjames]

Yes the scene lacks logic and facts and blah blah but it’s a cool scene in a bond film just enjoy it 🤪🤪🤪😎

[matthewkretschmer]

I feel sorry for the three people on that plane. What happened next to those two hijackers, were they killed latter on? Which of 6 Moonraker numbers was that space shuttle?