F

Faster Than Light Travel - see Delta Power Unit and Ruminov Metal.

Fendoe, Doctor (left)
Boss of the Dectium mines on asteroid Omega, who attempts to blackmail Earth into paying whatever price he wants for the rare metal (TVC04).

Fishing
Still in evidence on Venus, though the evolving Tula Fish took umbrage to the business (HF). It is still a relaxing recreational, and Marla suggests it as a break for Colonel Raeburn (DW). It is also a favourite holiday pasttime of Larry Dart (WA, RR) though it does occasioally get him into trouble... (TVC01, TVC02)

Floats, The
Muscular wasting condition, caused by continual living in low or zero gravity environments such the Moon or artificial satellites. The muscles atrophy to such a degree that the body shuts down, killing a person. It is cured by a protein, or synthesised version of it, found in the square eggs of the Aba Bird from Mars (HI).

Flora
World which is home to advanced and potentially hostile plant life and where contact with two Galaspheres had been lost. It is discovered the plants had enslaved the native humanoids and also the Galasphere crews (TVC08).

Flying Saucer
Getaway craft used by a gang of crooks to leave Earth with stolen gold bullion (TVC02).

Fowler, Captain
Space Patrol officer in overall charge of a two Galasphere mission to newly discovered planet M17. He is court-martialed when his second-in-command Lieutenant Roget lands his Galasphere despite there scenes of strange alien monsters there (HS01).

Franc
Unit of currency on both Venus (UA) and Mars (SF).

Freezer Unit (right)
All Galaspheres have freezer units, to send the crew into hibernation for the long transit times involved in traversing the solar system. There is also a freezer unit in the Space Headquarters hospital (SS). Dart sometimes refers to the Galasphere unit as ‘the freezer locker’ (UA, WB)..

Freezer Unit, Portable
Sealed container resembling a clear sleeping bag, used to transport Husky to Professor Zeffer’s observatory on Mars in an attempt to cure him of his invisible condition (HI).

Freighter
See Husky's Technical Manual: Freighters

Freighter Convoy
A convoy of forty freighters under robot control that are hijacked by Doctor Duncan. The robots are controled from the lead freighter, identified by being striped apparently (ES).

Freightship 182
Freighter denied the latest shipment of the rare metal Dectium from the asteroid Omega (TVC04).

Fungus
Plant fungus with incredibly infectious qualities that threatens Earth with famine, spreading across Asia, India, Borneo and half the Caribbean as well as the underwater sea farms. It appears as large blisters but can be stopped and cured by contact with plants from Saturn (MTS).. Dart believes an area of the Dictum Forset on Mars has been affected by a fungus, turning it to desert (TF). A real fungus does strike Mars later, which is dealt with by a powerful fungicide dispersed over the planet by Galasphere 347 (DW). A rock found on asteroid Danta turns out to be an oxygen absorbing fungus, which grows to a vast size when brought to Earth (TVC01)


G

Gabbler, The (left)
A Martian parrot, though walking upright and as tall as a small child. Husky brings one to Earth as a pet and Professor Haggarty teaches it to speak English through his birdsong translator (SN), after which the problem is getting him to stop talking! Gabbler has mauve feathers (EVT) though other Gabblerdictums may be coloured differently.

Gabbladictum
Species of large Martian bird, and refered to as their equivilant of a parrot in that it mimics speech. They can fly in the lower gravity of their native Mars (TF, HM) . Their favourite food is the leaves of the Dictum Tree, and only Gabbladictums have the strength and guile to deal with the large insectoid Glooks that live in the Dictum Forset (TF).

Galactic Control
Division of Space Patrol that monitors interplanetary travel, probably based in the Control Tower (SN)..

Galactic Forces, The
Presumably another term for the United Galactic Army (SJ)..

Galactic Union, The
Possibly another term for the United Galactic Organisation (TVC11)..

Galasphere 024
Replacement Galasphere used by Larry Dart and the crew of Galasphere 347 in an emergency situation, when their own would not have been rehabiitated in time (SJ)

Galasphere 103
Galasphere despatched by Space Headquarters to divert the freighter convoy back to Ganymede (ES)..

Galasphere 109
Galasphere despatched to Jupiter to collect the Lumi Pebbles that could cure Dart and Slim from shrinking (SG).

Galasphere 185
Galasphere ordered to return to Earth by Robot Control during the Duo invasion (II).

Galasphere 347 (right)
The main Galasphere used by Captain Larry Dart and his crew. It literally collapses after the return journey at faster than light speeds from the planet Delta in the star system Alpha Centauri (MS), though is presumably rebuilt or replaced with another Galasphere with the same number.

Galasphere 774
One of two Galaspheres sent to explore planet M17, and commanded by Lieutenant Roget (HS01).

Galasphere 971
Galasphere in the vicinity of Mars that gives a bearing on the escaping criminal saucer (TVC02).

Galaspheres
The main ships of the Space Patrol, each crewed by an Earthman, a Martian, a Venusian and a robot. On Galasphere 347, the Earthman is the Captain but it is not known if this is the arrangement for all. The appearance of a Galasphere is a thick metallic ring encircling a cylindrical core and linked by three tubes - almost akin to a child’s spinning top. They have been in use for at least twenty years - most probably longer - when one was lost and was later discovered to have landed on a tenth planet beyond the orbit of Pluto (NP).

An accurate technical specification or layout of a Galasphere is difficult to determine, as even the scale and size is questionable when seen in relation to its crew. Entry is usually via the vacuum door (or doors - it is unclear whether there is more than one) in the ring. Given the size of a door on the outer ring, which is used by the docking facility at Space Headquarters, the ship could be about 60 feet (18 metres) high with a ring diameter of about 65 feet (20 metres) but this would make it rather small especially when seen in relation to a colony ship supposedly housing 1000 people (SN). Even the size of the control room and other areas of the Galasphere seem incongruous with its external size.

Each Galasphere houses a control room, a freezer unit for hibernation on long voyages (we speculate, from the size and shape, that this may occupy one of the ‘spokes’ between the core and ring), a meson unit (situated at the top of the core, though a rotating disc that is part of the mechanism is in the ring near the vacuum door (HM)) which provides the power for the three drives: primary, orbital and interplanetary overdrive - and several hover jets. Despite patrols through the solar system, Galaspheres do not have the means to handle situations on every planet and require specialised equipment (SJ). This again may be a factor that indicates the Galaspheres are not that large. They are capable of atmospheric flight (NP, EV), as well as travelling underwater (HF, JW).

Gallia
Slim’s uncle on Venus. He was a member of the ruling council but was expelled for speaking against the President, believing Venus should be the superior planet in the Unitd Galactic Organisation. He threatens to take power and nearly succeeds using a powder that causes temporary paralysis. His plan is discovered by Slim and thwarted by the crew of Galasphere 347 (VV).

Gamma Ray Gun
Also refered to as just Gamma Guns. These seem to be the main weapons of Space Patrol. They may have different settings, emitting a form of visible electrical discharge (SS, HF) or an explosive projectile effect (MS). They can also be used for drilling (WA, BS).

Ganymede
Satellite of Jupiter and location of a Research Centre for Space Medicine. The Director was a Venusian but he is superceded, perhaps forcibly, by Doctor Duncan (ES)

Gas
A nerve gas is used by Tyrig to try and over throw power (SD). A strange gas like mist also causes Slim and Dart to shrink when exposed to it (SG).

Giant
Oversized inhabitant of a tenth planet beyond the orbit of Pluto. The large size of all animal and plant life is attributed to cosmic radiation (NP).

Giants
Race of alien scientists who collect samples from other planets and 'steal' an entire power station - plus terrified occupants! - until Larry Dart is bravely able to show them the error of their ways (TVC07).

Glooks (right)
Large, quadruped insects from the Dictum Forest on Mars. They have three eyes, interspaced with three horns or feelers, and a vicious possibly deadly bite. They find forged bank notes quite useful in the construction of their nests. Only Gabblerdictum birds are capable of overcoming them without the use of a weapon (TF).

Gold
Bullion stolen from the UGO by space pirates. You can’t mistake the stuff, as it conveniently has ‘UGO Gold’ written in large letters in each ingot, which is quite handy when trying to incriminate the culprits. (UA)

Gold Mines
The Venusian Tara controls all the gold mines on Callisto, and inspects them every day (TS)

Golf
Apparent still considered a relaxing pasttime in 2100, though not necessarily by Larry Dart (RR)

Gravity Repulsion Field
Mentioned several times before its usage is explained by its absense. Old fashioned rockets did not have gravity repulsion, making take off uncomfortable, so it can be assumed it reduces g-forces during acceleration (FX).

Gromaclom
Gabblerdictumese for pencil (SN).

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