Space Probe (Wonderland Sydney)
Encyclopedia
Space Probe was a Giant Drop ride located at Wonderland Sydney
in Australia
. It was manufactured by Intamin AG
and opened as the world's tallest and fastest free-fall ride.
The ride opened in November 1995 and closed on 26 April 2004.
Once passengers arrive at the front of the queue, they pass through a turn style and enter a debriefing room via a sliding-door airlock. Once they are debriefed they leave through a second door and enter the launch bay area, guests then take their seat in their given vehicle.
Riders are four abreast and are brought to a height of 61 metres (200.1 ft) by a coupler.
Traveling at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph), riders reach the top of the tower in 25 seconds.
The vehicles slowly enter a large umbrella as they climb the last few feet. Within, twelve TV units laid out as 4 per vehicle, each display a 10 second countdown. http://wonderlandhistory.net/system/files/styles/large/private/space_probe_28.jpg
Once the countdown is finished, the coupler detaches, letting riders free-fall 61 metres (200.1 ft) in 3.8 seconds.
Each vehicle is stopped by a fail-safe magnetic braking system and arrives back into the station.
The Seven Network
were involved in the lead up to the ride's opening, donating the network's logo and credibility. They were contracted as major sponsors, helping with advertising, promotion and the ride's title. After this contract expired the '7' was removed from the title and was thereafter known as Space Probe.
Space Probe was the second Giant Drop ride manufactured and installed by Intamin AG
. The first opened in October 1995 as Hellevator
at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
The Intamin
Giant Drop was the world's tallest free-fall ride for approximately 4 months and the fastest until December, 1998.
In March 1996, it was surpassed in height by the Drop Tower: Scream Zone at California's Great America by 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), at 68.2 metres (223.8 ft).
In December 1998, it was surpassed in speed by the Giant Drop at Dreamworld
, which currently holds the Guinness World Record for the 'tallest and fastest vertical free-fall ride in the world'.
The ride and queues were intensively themed around an alien invasion, in order to fit in with the horror themed area of the park (Transylvania).
The queue area was heavily themed to look like an escape hatch from a futuristic space-station. It featured a long and dark, snake-like tunnel, with TV units and lighting effects placed periodically throughout the queue. The entire conscious of the ride was based on an alien life-form infecting our planet and thus leading to evacuation. The ride starts at the entrance of the tunnel, where in queue TVs informed guests of the current situation. The TVs constantly played a roughly 30-60 minute news broadcast about an alien invasion. As the guests progressed throughout the tunnel they would be informed of the current situation, divided by which part of the tunnel they were occupying. As the guests moved closer to the front of the queue they would then be told to evacuate. The broadcast was filmed and designed to look like a modern version of a Seven Network
news report.
Once the vehicle reached the top of the tower, it would then be dropped at random - a few seconds before the countdown reached zero, or held until after the countdown had finished.
The first on-ride photos were taken using cameras placed at the top of the tower, inside the umbrella. The photos were taken as the vehicle was detached from the coupler. A few years later, new on-ride photo cameras were installed on the roof above the launch bay area, taken as the vehicle came to a stop.
The ride opened in 1995, three years after the opening of The Demon
. It was the second and only new ride installed in the park.
The official cost to build the tower was published at A$10 million.
Wonderland Sydney
Wonderland Sydney was a theme park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The park was the largest one in the southern hemisphere. It remained open for almost nineteen years and was the premier theme park in New South Wales for much of its life, but it closed in 2004...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was manufactured by Intamin AG
Intamin AG
Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
and opened as the world's tallest and fastest free-fall ride.
The ride opened in November 1995 and closed on 26 April 2004.
Ride experience
The ride consists of 3 vehicles around a central tube which is 67 metres (219.8 ft) tall.Once passengers arrive at the front of the queue, they pass through a turn style and enter a debriefing room via a sliding-door airlock. Once they are debriefed they leave through a second door and enter the launch bay area, guests then take their seat in their given vehicle.
Riders are four abreast and are brought to a height of 61 metres (200.1 ft) by a coupler.
Traveling at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph), riders reach the top of the tower in 25 seconds.
The vehicles slowly enter a large umbrella as they climb the last few feet. Within, twelve TV units laid out as 4 per vehicle, each display a 10 second countdown. http://wonderlandhistory.net/system/files/styles/large/private/space_probe_28.jpg
Once the countdown is finished, the coupler detaches, letting riders free-fall 61 metres (200.1 ft) in 3.8 seconds.
Each vehicle is stopped by a fail-safe magnetic braking system and arrives back into the station.
Records
Facts
The ride was originally known as Space Probe 7.The Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
were involved in the lead up to the ride's opening, donating the network's logo and credibility. They were contracted as major sponsors, helping with advertising, promotion and the ride's title. After this contract expired the '7' was removed from the title and was thereafter known as Space Probe.
Space Probe was the second Giant Drop ride manufactured and installed by Intamin AG
Intamin AG
Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
. The first opened in October 1995 as Hellevator
Superman: Tower of Power
Superman: Tower of Power is a thrill ride located at two Six Flags parks. The one at Six Flags St. Louis is an Intamin Giant Drop model, and the one at Six Flags Over Texas is an S&S Combo Tower model. The one at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom was demolished after an accident that maimed a teenage...
at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
The Intamin
Intamin AG
Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
Giant Drop was the world's tallest free-fall ride for approximately 4 months and the fastest until December, 1998.
In March 1996, it was surpassed in height by the Drop Tower: Scream Zone at California's Great America by 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), at 68.2 metres (223.8 ft).
In December 1998, it was surpassed in speed by the Giant Drop at Dreamworld
Dreamworld
Dreamworld is a large theme park situated on the Gold Coast in Queensland. It is currently Australia's largest theme park with over 27 rides including 4 roller coasters. The park is made up of several themed lands: Ocean Parade, Kid's World, Wiggles World, Gold Rush Country, Rocky Hollow, Tiger...
, which currently holds the Guinness World Record for the 'tallest and fastest vertical free-fall ride in the world'.
The ride and queues were intensively themed around an alien invasion, in order to fit in with the horror themed area of the park (Transylvania).
The queue area was heavily themed to look like an escape hatch from a futuristic space-station. It featured a long and dark, snake-like tunnel, with TV units and lighting effects placed periodically throughout the queue. The entire conscious of the ride was based on an alien life-form infecting our planet and thus leading to evacuation. The ride starts at the entrance of the tunnel, where in queue TVs informed guests of the current situation. The TVs constantly played a roughly 30-60 minute news broadcast about an alien invasion. As the guests progressed throughout the tunnel they would be informed of the current situation, divided by which part of the tunnel they were occupying. As the guests moved closer to the front of the queue they would then be told to evacuate. The broadcast was filmed and designed to look like a modern version of a Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
news report.
Once the vehicle reached the top of the tower, it would then be dropped at random - a few seconds before the countdown reached zero, or held until after the countdown had finished.
The first on-ride photos were taken using cameras placed at the top of the tower, inside the umbrella. The photos were taken as the vehicle was detached from the coupler. A few years later, new on-ride photo cameras were installed on the roof above the launch bay area, taken as the vehicle came to a stop.
The ride opened in 1995, three years after the opening of The Demon
The Demon (Wonderland Sydney)
The Demon was a Vekoma Boomerang roller coaster that operated at Wonderland Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It originally opened in 1988 as Titan at World Expo Park in Brisbane, Australia, before reopening in Wonderland Sydney in 1992...
. It was the second and only new ride installed in the park.
The official cost to build the tower was published at A$10 million.