In 1987 NASA launches a manned probe on a 5 month trip around the solar system. The probe's pilot is Captain William "Buck" Rogers. Something goes wrong, however, and Buck's life support systems are frozen and he is propelled into deep space. When the spacecraft returns to the vicinity of Earth, the year is 2491. Buck awakens from his deep cryogenic sleep to find Earth in the aftermath of a late 20th Century nuclear holocaust. Because of his piloting skills Buck becomes a valuable member of the Earth's Defense Directorate, which is headed by Dr. Elias Huer. Buck also finds himself a part of a fighter squadron headed by Colonel Wilma Deering. Among his other compatriots are Twiki--a likable robot who becomes Buck's pal--and Dr. Theopolis--a mechanical brain who is part of Earth's Computer Council.