* ActingForTwo: Creator/FrankWelker voices both Jinx and the computer voice he talks to in the film.
* AlanSmithee: Husband-and-wife team Clifford and Ellen Green were both credited under a single name: "W.W. Wicket" (they used that alias on ''Film/TheSeventhSign'' two years later).
* CaliforniaDoubling: An interesting case. The movie was filmed on location at the real-life Space Camp at the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and at the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida. However, the movie places both locations together in the same vicinity. Space Camp at Kennedy Space Center did not open until 1987 (it closed in 2002).
* CreatorKiller: This was the final film to be made by [[Creator/{{ABC}} ABC Motion Pictures]], coming to a close various feature film ventures that the Alphabet network had independently attempted since the 60's.
* DawsonCasting: Larry B. Scott and Creator/LeaThompson were 24 during filming. Creator/KellyPreston was 23. Creator/TateDonovan was 22. All are supposed to be teenagers. For reference: Creator/KateCapshaw was only 32.
** Mildly {{inverted}} by Leaf Phoenix (now known today by his real name [[Creator/JoaquinPhoenix Joaquin]]), who was 10 during filming, playing 12-year-old Max.
* VindicatedByCable: Most people saw the film on HBO, long after the ''Challenger'' disaster, and were inspired by the ending.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: In the original script, a Russian ''Buran'' shuttle with Russian kids would have rescued the kids.