NBC reality TV show to send winner to space with Virgin Galactic

[bananas]

Source: Reuters

After a decade of casting around for a space-themed show, reality TV producer Mark Burnett has finally found a way to launch his dream.

On Thursday, Burnett, creator of "Survivor" and "The Voice" unveiled a partnership with Virgin Galactic, a U.S. offshoot of Richard Branson's London-based Virgin Group, for a TV series that will send someone to space.

"For the past 10 years I have relentlessly pursued my dream of using a TV show to give an everyday person the chance to experience the black sky of space and look down upon mother Earth," Burnett said in a statement.

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The series, called "Space Race," will feature contenders in an unscripted elimination competition. The winner will get a ticket to ride on SpaceShipTwo. Details of the show's format, or when it will air, have not been released.

As part of the deal, Virgin Galactic will give the production team "unprecedented access" to SpaceShipTwo's base at Spaceport American in New Mexico, series backer NBC said in a news release.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/entertainment-us-space-tv-virgin-idUSBRE99210Q20131003

[Xipe Totec]

1. Just one virgin? That's disappointing. nt

[bananas]

2. NBC to Air Virgin Galactic Reality Show

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2013/10/03/nbc-air-virgin-galactic-reality-show/

NBC to Air Virgin Galactic Reality Show

Posted by Doug Messier
on October 3, 2013, at 12:20 pm

NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 3, 2013 (NBC PR) – NBC today announced an exclusive deal with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline, and Mark Burnett’s One Three Media to create the spectacular unscripted series, “Space Race.” “Space Race” is a groundbreaking, elimination competition series where everyday people compete for the ultimate prize – a trip for the winner into space on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo for a life-changing experience few people have ever enjoyed, all captured on camera. “Space Race” will have unprecedented access to Virgin Galactic’s home in the state-of-the-art Spaceport America in New Mexico, the departure point and training and preparation center for space flights.

“The scope of this endeavor is so staggering, that it took these two titans to even imagine it,” said Paul Telegdy, President of Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment. “The term ‘trip of a lifetime’ has for once been delivered on! This will be a remarkable experience for anyone who has looked at the night’s sky and dared to dream of Space Flight.”

Sir Richard said, “Virgin Galactic’s mission is to democratize space, eventually making commercial space travel affordable and accessible to all. ‘Space Race’ allows us to extend this opportunity of a lifetime to as many people as possible right at the start of our commercial service – through direct experience and television viewing. All of us at Virgin Galactic and our partner aabar Investments are delighted to be collaborating with NBC and Mark , who is a true pioneer and creative force in television programming.”

“For the past ten years I have relentlessly pursued my dream of using a TV show to give an everyday person the chance to experience the black sky of space and look down upon mother Earth,” said executive producer Mark Burnett. “I spent a day in the Mojave desert with Sir Richard and his impressive team. We got to see the space ship up close and hear of Sir Richard’s incredible vision of how Virgin Galactic is the future of private space travel. I am thrilled to be part of a series that will give the everyday person a chance to see space and that NBC has come on board to so that viewers at home will have a first class seat.”

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[bananas]

3. NBC teams up with Virgin Galactic for 'Space Race' reality TV show

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/nbc-teams-virgin-galactic-space-race-reality-tv-show-8C11329733

NBC teams up with Virgin Galactic for 'Space Race' reality TV show

Alan Boyle, Science Editor NBC News

NBC says it's reached a deal with Virgin Galactic and reality TV producer Mark Burnett to create a television series called "Space Race," which will follow contestants as they compete to win a flight into space aboard Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane.

SpaceShipTwo is currently in the midst of flight tests at California's Mojave Air and Space Port, and could take passengers on suborbital space rides as early as next year. But it's too early to say when "Space Race" will air, or when the show's winner would fly, said Clare Anne Darragh, a spokeswoman for Burnett's production company, One Three Media.

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The deal's deja vu

If "Space Race" becomes a reality, it would be the first TV contest built around honest-to-goodness space travel. But there's a hint of deja vu to the deal: Thirteen years ago, NBC said Burnett would produce a space-themed reality TV series titled "Destination Mir," with the winner flying to Russia's Mir space station. "It's going to be very, very dramatic in the beginning, and all the way through to the end," Burnett told NBC News at the time.

That deal literally went up in flames in 2001 due to Mir's demise. Other efforts to create space-themed reality TV projects, including a plan to put boy-band singer Lance Bass in orbit, have been stymied by the inherent risk of spaceflight. Potential insurers and advertisers were put off by the idea that someone could get blown up on the show they were backing.

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[dipsydoodle]

4. "a ticket to ride on SpaceShipTwo"

Inside might be safer.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. interesting. might watch it

[onehandle]

6. Now Z List actors are beating us all to space.

You all do know that 90% of reality show performers are actors, right?