Banijay Asia has announced its collaboration with Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) to produce an innovative format show that will showcase the nationwide hunt for one ordinary Indian citizen who will journey into space on a future Blue Origin New Shepard mission. The format will capture the drama, disappointment, and joy as the shortlisted individuals participate in various challenges that test their mettle and readiness for space travel. The show will culminate in the selection of a final winner who will have the opportunity to become one of the first Indian citizens to travel into space.
This announcement builds on SERA’s recent news announcing India as a partner nation for their human spaceflight program aimed at giving an opportunity to citizens from countries with few or no astronauts to travel into space. SERA’s mission is to democratize space travel by opening up opportunities for ordinary citizens to experience the wonders of space exploration.
Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO, Banijay Asia & EndemolShine India mentioned the commitment to exploring new formats: “At Banijay Asia, our mission has always been to explore new horizons in storytelling. We’re embarking on an unprecedented journey with SERA to create a reality format that transcends the ordinary. It’s a privilege to document this journey of an ordinary Indian space traveler, and show how this program will not only transform their life but also democratize space travel more broadly. We’re excited to entertain and inspire our audiences as we pave a new path in the world of competitive reality television, and spark a new wave of interest in space exploration," stated.
Meanwhile, Mrinalini Jain, Group Chief Development Officer, Banijay Asia & EndemolShine India, expressed her enthusiasm saying: "Partnering with SERA is a testament to Banijay Asia´s quest to find inspiring stories to narrate in the most innovative formats. We will pioneer an innovative and inspirational format by blending the thrill of reality television with the awe of space exploration. This will be a game-changing format showing every step of the journey from selection to space," commented.
Finally, Joshua Skurla, Co-Founder, SERA, shared his excitement for the collaboration: "SERA is founded on the principle of making space accessible to all. Our mission is to inspire and enable individuals from all backgrounds to explore the cosmos, fostering a new era of discovery and understanding. This partnership with Banijay Asia will bring space- and science-related content to a diverse audience. We look forward to their innovative approach to transform this historic endeavor into a movement that will not only inspire millions but also cultivate a global dialogue on the future of space exploration. SERA’s spaceflight program will offer citizens from across the world six seats on a future mission of New Shepard, Blue Origin’s reusable suborbital rocket. The mission will fly the selected astronauts on an 11- minute journey past the Kármán line (100 km), the internationally-recognized boundary of space," noted.