'Hypnotic Sphere' by Alan Fennell

When the crew of Fireball XL5 discover tanker EF24 adrift in space, Steve jet packs across to investigate and finds a solitary crewmember, apparently in a deep hypnotic trance. After Robert flies the tanker back to Space City on Earth, with Fireball XL5 as an escort, Steve and his crew learn from Commander Zero that several other tankers have suffered the same fate, and that no way has been found to awaken the ships’ crews. In order to discover the cause of these events Steve follows another space tanker, EF25 along the same route as the others. He and his crew soon encounter a strange sphere emitting hypnotic beams of light, and hear a voice instructing them to change their course to a path leading to certain doom…

Paul Maxwell (Colonel Steve Zodiac), Sylvia Anderson (Doctor Venus), David Graham (Professor Matt Matic / Lieutenant 90 / Tanker Pilot Joe), John Bluthal (Commander Wilbur Zero / Suventan Brain), Gerry Anderson (Robert the Robot)

Directed by Alan Patillo
Produced by Gerry Anderson
Associate Producer Reg Hill

TX (UK - ITV):
2nd December 1963

Notes:
*Featuring Colonel Steve Zodiac, Venus, Professor Matt Matic, Commander Zero, Lieutenant 90 and Robert the Robot