Banijay Asia Seeks “New Horizons” By Sending Indian Citizen Into Space On Television
deadline.comEXCLUSIVE: Banijay Asia is planning to send an Indian citizen into space. The Banijay Entertainment-owned company has teamed with Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) to create a TV format that will showcase a nationwide hunt for one ordinary Indian who will take a seat on a future Blue Origin New Shepherd space mission. “At Banijay Asia, our mission has always been to explore new horizons in storytelling,” said Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India CEO Deepak Dhar. “We’re embarking on an unprecedented journey with SERA to create a reality format that transcends the ordinary.” The format will seek to capture the drama, disappointment and joy as the shortlisted individuals participate in challenges to test their mettle and readiness for space travel.
It will culminate with the selection of a winner, who will become one of the first Indian citizens to travel space. India was recently selected by SERA as a partner nation for the organization’s spaceflight program aimed at giving regular people from countries with few or no astronauts the chance to experience space.
The likes of Elon Musk and Richard Branson have famously developed their own space rockets and programs in the U.S. and UK, but SERA has focused on including developing nations in space exploration.
Costs in space travel have come down, said SERA co-founder Sam Hutchison, which has allowed SERA to operate more democratically than traditional government-owned space organizations.
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