The five Tracy brothers were named after five of the NASA astronauts from the "Mercury Seven" space program from the early 1960's:
- Scott Tracy after Scott Carpenter.
- Virgil Tracy after Gus Grissom whose real first name was Virgil.
- Alan Tracy after Alan Shepard.
- Gordon Tracy after Gordon Cooper.
- John Tracy after John Glenn.
The first feature film to be shot using the Livingston Electronic Viewfinder Unit, also known as Add-a-Vision. This was basically an electronic viewfinder that could be used in conjunction with a Mitchell BNC Camera to take a television picture directly from the camera, enabling the staff of the entire unit to watch any scene being filmed on the television monitors. This also allowed the puppeteers to better control their puppets and keep them on their marks in the frame.
Thunderbirds Are Go was filmed during the period when The Shadows pop group were playing Baldwin-Burns guitars rather than the Fender Stratocasters they were noted for playing both beforehand and later. Anderson's creative team's attention to detail extended to making miniature facsimiles of the Burns guitars for the puppets of The Shadows] to 'play'.
Gerry Anderson had a real "FAB 1", the pink six-wheeled Rolls Royce, built during production. He and his wife, Sylvia Anderson, arrived in it at the movie's premiere.
Although very distinctly different, the appearances of both Scott Tracy and Paul Travers were based on Sean Connery by their respective modellers.