EXCLUSIVE: 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. It purchased its own rocket in 2022.
“India has a phenomenal space program and it is living a moment: An incredible economy, companies developing new technologies and a large number of engineering students and researchers,” said Skurla. He added that the winning contestant would be required to engage in research while spending the day in space, saying: “We’re looking for ‘India’s Next Astronaut.’”
Skurla said the SERA program had a great natural narrative arc, and that Banijay Asia would be able to creatively unlock the story. “Banijay has deep knowledge of the local market and can help us adapt the project,” he added.
“When Josh and Sam started sharing their vision with us, it felt like a common vision with ours,” said Dhar. “We have complementary businesses: SERA has the infrastructure, wherewithal and processes, and we bring our global learning about formats. We see this as a mass-based program, and we really want to engage with India’s 1.4 billion people and get them to sign up so we can find that one Indian who could take that position. It would be of national pride to find them.”
The mission will see six citizens from across the world board Blue Origin’s reusable suborbital rocket, New Shepherd. They will fly 100km in an 11-minute journey past the Kármán line, which is the internationally recognized boundary of space.
“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.”
Banijay Asia is already in talks with streamers and networks about a pick-up, with the shoot likely to happen in the first half of 2025. Dhar confirmed the format could be adapted by other members of the Banijay Entertainment group.