Editing Journey into Space (section)

== Critical reaction and legacy ==
Public reaction to the show was mixed. Some comments received by the BBC described the show as "a first class affair" and "the best serial for ages".<ref name="OL booklet"/> After episode 5 of ''Journey to the Moon'' was first broadcast, the ''[[Daily Express]]'' commented:
{{Blockquote|Hats off to Charles Chilton, who has switched from ''Riders of the Range'' to ''Journey Into Space'' with masterly ease. I rate this space travel serial as the most exciting piece of radio material for years. |source=''[[Daily Express]]''<ref name="JIS Again"/>}}
Midway through the original broadcast of ''The Red Planet'', a BBC Audience Research Report indicated that the series
{{Blockquote|was described as "thrilling", "fascinating" and "most entertaining"... This is obviously very much a family occasion in many homes, the entire household following the adventures of Jet Morgan and Co. with great interest. |source=BBC Audience Research Report<ref name="TRP booklet"/>}}
However, others commented that the plot often featured scientific inaccuracies,<ref name="OL booklet"/> even though Chilton had received technical advice from Flight Lieutenant Roger Burton<ref name="OL booklet"/> and Kenneth Gatland of the [[British Interplanetary Society]].<ref name="TWIP booklet"/> One correspondent to the ''[[Radio Times]]'' commented that:
{{Blockquote|''Journey into Space'' was a glorified interstellar 'horse-opera' with no coherent plot, which relied on odd musical arrangements to bolster up the stilted conversations of characters with no substance. There were no convincing word pictures of the new world: 'Jet' lacked tact and leader qualities and 'Lemmy' was an improbable space traveller, not to mention electronic engineer! |author=K. Camm |source=Letter to the ''[[Radio Times]]'', 4 February 1955.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Camm |first=K |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/84ec582784e948229063423bc14c15bd?page=33 |title=Interplanetary Adventures |magazine=[[Radio Times]] |department=Letters from Listeners |publisher=[[BBC Publications]] |date=4 February 1955 |volume=126 |issue=1630 |edition=Television |page=33 |access-date=8 February 2020 }}</ref>}}
Chilton admitted that he was not a science-fiction writer, astronomer, or scientist, and that his "pursuit of astronomical studies" was "clumsy and very amateurish".<ref name="TRP booklet"/> He often "worked very late to deadline", sometimes not starting to write an episode until two days before recording.<ref name="OL booklet"/>

''Journey Into Space'' remains popular today, thanks to the [[#Discovery of Transcription discs|discovery]] of misfiled recordings of the show, which enabled the BBC to begin re-broadcasting the show from the late 1980s onwards.
{{Blockquote|Today it still enjoys a huge fanbase, with active websites and keenly received repeats on digital radio channel BBC Radio 4 Extra. |author=Paul Donovan |source=''[[The Sunday Times]]''<ref name="Sunday Times article">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Donovan |title=Journey into Space – Frozen in Time |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/journey-into-space-frozen-in-time-23387qh3536 |newspaper=[[The Sunday Times]] |location=London |publisher=[[News International]] |date=6 April 2008 |access-date=2008-05-12  |url-access=subscription}}</ref>}}

[[Philip Hinchcliffe]] has acknowledged growing up listening to ''Journey Into Space'', citing in particular its cliffhangers as an influence on his period as producer of the science-fiction television series ''[[Doctor Who]]'' between 1974 and 1977.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/27140/philip-hinchcliffe-on-producing-doctor-who-tom-baker-special-effects-russell-t-davies-big-finish | title= Philip Hinchcliffe on producing Doctor Who, Tom Baker, special effects, Russell T Davies, Big Finish audio plays & more… | work=Den of Geek | first=Louisa | last=Mellor | date=3 September 2013 | access-date=30 April 2015}}</ref>