Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/Delta and the Bannermen


 * By 1959, the idea of launching satellites shouldn't be a big secret anymore.
 * Perhaps this particular satellite was a spy satellite? The DVD production notes suggest that, perhaps in the Whoniverse the US launched its first satellite later than in the real world.
 * The launch itself might not be a particular secret, but the crashing to Earth probably was. The US government probably doesn't want every Tom, Dick and Harry in South Wales to know that one of their satellites has crashed in their nearby vicinity, just on the off-chance that either Tom, Dick or Harry might be working for Moscow.


 * Why does the US satellite look exactly like the Russian satellite Sputnik?
 * In-universe, this particular satellite might have been modeled after Sputnik for some reason. Out-of-story, it's probably just a homage.
 * Maybe that is why the agents were assigned to retrieve it


 * Why does eating alien food turn billy into a Chimeron? Shouldn't it poison him?
 * It wasn't just food. It was a special Jelly. Like Delta says, the change had never been undertaken before.


 * Shouldn't eating the female royal jelly turn Billy into a Chimeron Princess or Queen?
 * Should it? Its not essentially for Chimeron's becoming female. Considering its never occurred before, should we assume it would automatically change his gender, instead of just performing is intended function?


 * How is Weismuller able to get through to his superiors in America on a police box phone?
 * He may be calling his superiors at a more local destination (the US Embassy, say) and just referring to their location as 'America' for reasons of shorthand / code / nationalist pride / etc., since the message will make its way back to America eventually.