Vega 2 launched
Just days after its twin lifts off, the unmanned Vega 2 space probe is launched by the Soviet Union on a dual mission to drop off a lander at Venus and then to intercept Halley’s Comet in 1986. Derived from the USSR’s earlier Venera Venus landers, Vega 2 will test a refined landing system for landing on Venus by balloon, and will then join an international fleet of unmanned spacecraft attempting to take advantage of Halley’s visit to the inner solar system in late 1985 and early 1986.
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: The Sweet Scent Of Death
The 11th episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Dean Stockwell (Quantum Leap) guest stars.
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Vega 1 launched
The unmanned Vega 1 space probe is launched by the Soviet Union on a dual mission to drop off a lander at Venus and then to intercept Halley’s Comet in 1986. Derived from the USSR’s earlier Venera Venus landers, Vega will test a refined landing system for landing on Venus by balloon, and will then join an international fleet of unmanned spacecraft attempting to take advantage of Halley’s visit to the inner solar system in late 1985 and early 1986.
Dune
The long-awaited, long-delayed feature film adaptation Dune premieres, based on the best-selling SF novel by Frank Herbert. Starring Kyle McLachlan (Twin Peaks), Sean Young (Blade Runner), featuring Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Sting (lead singer of The Police), and directed by David Lynch (The Elephant Man, Twin Peaks), the movie meets with very mixed reviews, compressing many of the book’s events into a narrative that viewers not already familiar with the book find confusing.
2010: The Year We Make Contact
The big-screen sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact, starring Roy Scheider, John Lithgow, Helen Mirren and Bob Balaban, arrives in theaters. Adapted from Arthur C. Clarke’s novel “2010: Odyssey Two”, Peter Hyams’ movie is visually stunning, especially since none of the original setpieces or models remained from 2001, having been destroyed following production at Stanley Kubrick’s direct instruction. Though heavily hyped, 2010 proves disappointing for moviegoers expecting more of 2001‘s trippy imagery.
More about 2010 in the LogBook
Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: Czech Mate
The tenth episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Susan George (Straw Dogs) and Patrick Mower (Emmerdale Farm) guest star.
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The Odyssey File
Ballantine Books publishes The Odyssey File by Arthur C. Clarke and filmmaker Peter Hyams, chronicling the authors’ collaboration to translate Clarke’s novel 2010: Odyssey Two into the film 2010: The Year We Make Contact. Their lengthy international correspondence in 1983 and early 1984 was conducted by then-groundbreaking means of pre-internet e-mail exchanges.
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: The Late Nancy Irving
The ninth episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Cristina Raines (Centennial), Marius Goring, Tony Anholt (Space: 1999), and Zienia Merton (Space: 1999) guest star.
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The Ewok Adventure
ABC airs the Lucasfilm TV movie The Ewok Adventure, starring Eric Walker, Warwick Davis, Fionnula Flanagan, and Aubree Miller. Written by veteran animation writer Bob Carrau and directed by John Korty (The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman), this is the first live-action TV set in the Star Wars universe since the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. The movie will become known by the alternate title Ewoks: Caravan of Courage outside of the United States.
Split Enz will See Ya Round
The ninth and final studio album from Split Enz, See Ya Round, is released. Originally slated to be a farewell EP by the remaining band members following the departure of Tim Finn (and new drummer recruit Paul Hester), it blossoms into a full-length album thanks to new original material by Hester, bassist Nigel Griggs, and a jam or two between all the band members. Though Split Enz embarks on a lengthy farewell tour (and releases a double album of some of the best performances from that tour), this remains the group’s final studio album.
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: Black Carrion
The eighth episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Season Hubley guest stars.
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STS-51A
Space Shuttle Discovery takes off on a week-long satellite deployment mission, delivering a Canadian communications satellite and another American SYNCOM defense communications satellite into orbit. Using the MMU jet packs, Discovery’s crew retrieve two satellites placed into the wrong orbits by malfunctioning boosters after a shuttle mission earlier in the year, returning them to the cargo bay for return to Earth. Discovery’s crew consists of Commander Frederick Hauck, Pilot David Walker, and mission specialists Anna Fisher, Dale Gardner, and Joseph Allen.
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: A Distant Scream
The seventh episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. David Carradine (Kung Fu), Stephanie Beacham (seaQuest DSV), and Stephen Greif (Blake’s 7) guest star.
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2010: The Year We Make Contact soundtrack
A&M Records releases David Shire’s soundtrack from the movie 2010: The Year We Make Contact. Available only briefly – the label doesn’t keep the title in print after the movie proves not to be a blockbuster – the soundtrack has yet to be reissued in any form and is an exceedingly rare collectors’ item. The album includes a version of the theme tune by Andy Summers of The Police. 
Depeche Mode: Some Great Reward
Mute Records releases the Depeche Mode album Some Great Reward, featuring the single “People Are People”, which becomes the group’s signature song for years to come.
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: Paint Me A Murder
The sixth episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Michelle Phillips (Knots Landing) and W. Morgan Sheppard (Max Headroom) guest star.
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Ghostbusters
Just in time for Halloween, Activision releases the Ghostbusters cartridge for the Atari 2600 home video game system, based on the hit movie of the same name.
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: In Possession
The fifth episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Carol Lynley (The Night Stalker) and Judy Loe (Ace Of Wands) guest star.
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The Policeman’s Beard Is Half Constructed
The first edition of the collection of prose, poetry and blank verse titled “The Policeman’s Beard Is Half Constructed“ – supposedly “written” by an artificial intelligence called RACTER – is published by Warner Books. When a commercial version of RACTER is made available, some users cry foul – it doesn’t output anything remotely like the book attributed to it.
Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast
Tales Of The Unexpected: The Open Window
ITV airs the 99th episode of the anthology series Tales Of The Unexpected. This is the seventh season finale.
More about Tales Of The Unexpected in theLogBook.com Store
Tales Of The Unexpected now streaming on Amazon Prime
Julian Lennon: Valotte
Atlantic Records releases Julian Lennon‘s debut album, Valotte, featuring the singles “Too Late For Goodbyes” and “Valotte”.
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: The Corvini Inheritance
The fourth episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. David McCallum (The Man From UNCLE, Sapphire & Steel) and Jan Francis (Just Good Friends) guest star in an episode written by David Fisher (Doctor Who) and directed by Gabrielle Beaumont (The Tomorrow People, Star Trek: The Next Generation).
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Countdown To Looking Glass
HBO premieres the made-for-TV movie Countdown To Looking Glass, starring Scott Glenn and Helen Shaver as reporters caught in the outbreak of World War III. In later years, when the movie becomes part of a movie package syndicated to local TV stations, it will accidentally cause panic among some of its audience.
Tales Of The Unexpected: The Mugger
ITV airs the 98th episode of the anthology series Tales Of The Unexpected. Roy Marsden guest stars.
More about Tales Of The Unexpected in theLogBook.com Store
Tales Of The Unexpected now streaming on Amazon Prime
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: Child’s Play
The third episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Mary Crosby (The Ice Pirates, Dallas) guest stars.
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STS-41G
Space Shuttle Challenger lifts off on an eight-day mission, the first shuttle mission with a seven-person crew, which also happens to be the first American shuttle crew with two women on board. A satellite to study radiation around the Earth is deployed, along with an experiment to study the feasibility of refueling empty satellites to extend their service life. Challenger’s crew for this flight consists of Commander Robert Crippen, Pilot Jon McBride, mission specialists Kathryn Sullivan, Sally Ride, David Leestma and payload specialists Marc Garneau and Paul Scully-Power.
Tales Of The Unexpected: The Reconciliation
ITV airs the 97th episode of the anthology series Tales Of The Unexpected. Roger Rees (M.A.N.T.I.S.) guest stars.
More about Tales Of The Unexpected in theLogBook.com Store
Tales Of The Unexpected now streaming on Amazon Prime
Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: Last Video And Testament
The second episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre. Deborah Raffin (7th Heaven) and David Langton (Upstairs, Downstairs) guest star.
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Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense: Mark Of The Devil
The first episode of the Hammer Studios-produced horror anthology series Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense airs on ITV; the series will be shown later in the U.S. under the title Fox Mystery Theatre, as it is a co-production between Hammer and 20th Century Fox. Dirk Benedict (Battlestar Galactica, The A-Team), Jenny Seagrove, and George Sewell (UFO) guest star.
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Dave Edmunds: Riff Raff
Scotti Bros. Records releases the Dave Edmunds album Riff Raff, again pairing Edmunds with producer Jeff Lynne of ELO fame. The album includes the singles “Breaking Out” and “S.O.S.”