Space:1999 was a British science fiction television series that aired from 1975 to 1977. The premise of the show was that a nuclear explosion on the Moon in 1999 caused it to leave Earth's orbit and drift through space, taking the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha with it. One of the main features of Moonbase Alpha was the Launch Pad, where various spacecraft were stored and launched for exploration and rescue missions. The Launch Pad was located on the far side of the Moonbase, away from the main living and working areas, and had a retractable roof that opened when a spacecraft was ready to launch. The Launch Pad was also equipped with a magnetic rail system that accelerated the spacecraft to a sufficient speed for liftoff.