This Reality Show Wants to Send a Contestant to Space
Space, the final frontier. Space travel has always captivated Americans, dating back to when Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon in 1969. However, space exploration has taken a backseat in the 21st century. Manned U.S. missions to space almost entirely stopped until NASA and SpaceX teamed up to send Americans to the International Space Station for the first time since 2011. Now, one company is planning a reality show called Space Hero that would send one lucky contestant to the ISS for 10 days.
Space Hero Inc., which has dubbed itself the first space entertainment brand, is planning to launch the show – and the winner in 2023, according to Deadline.
What is Space Hero?
Space Hero, Inc. has already locked down one seat on the 2023 mission to the ISS. Now, the company just needs to find its astronaut. While the exact qualifications for contestants are unclear, “the series will launch a global search for everyday people from any background who share a deep love for space exploration,” according to Deadline.
Contestants will train rigorously to prep for their voyage. To make sure that the winner can handle the stress of space, contestants will essentially get a crash course in Astronaut 101. These training sequences will make up a majority of the show, narrowing down the best candidates for space travel.
The show will reportedly function like American Idol – live viewers will vote for their favorite would-be cosmonaut. The winner will travel with trained astronauts to the ISS, and spend 10 days aboard the station. Along the way, the entire expedition will be filmed and broadcasted.
The Bottom Line
This is far from the first time that a reality show tried to send contestants into space. NBC, for instance, spent years attempting to get a space show off the ground, but the projects stalled. This show’s creators hope that advances technology and their own entrepreneurial skills will turn this venture into a success.
“We aim to reinvent the reality TV category by creating a multi-channel experience that offers the biggest prize ever, to the biggest audience possible,” Space Hero chairman Marty Pompadour said.
Successful or not, Space Hero won’t be the last reality-space pitch either. The space tourism industry is booming, and experts think this is just the beginning. UBS predicted that within a decade, space flight will rival air travel.
As the show is still a few years from airing, we can expect plenty more details to emerge over time. Whatever happens, Space Hero should be one small step for man and one giant leap for reality TV show contestants everywhere.
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