Go into space, be part of reality show

CNN has a story about ideas for reality shows where the winner gets to be an astronaut:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/14/television.reality.reut/index.html

Do you think one of these shows would increase public interest in space?

--Ralph

Sadly yes.

Not sad that it would work but sad that these shows have become such a large part of the general publics lives that a new reality show about practically anything would make the majority of the public aware of that thing.

A reality show where a trip to space is the final destination... I am not sure that would grab much attention but a reality show IN space would. Think of the situations! Zero-G swimsuits... Trists in orbit...

IMHO, this would probably do more damage than good. The program must trivialize many necessary topics for the public. It would take away the important aspects of technology and further the 'lie and deceit' method of achievement. Is that what we want? I can picture it now...

An alliance between two highschool football stars knocks out a budding geophysicist in her last year of her PhD studies.

Is this the type of rubbish that should be used to popularize space? Maybe so... I just don't think my pragmatism can stretch that far.

On the other hand... If the program was setup like the "Joe Schmoe" show, it might be worth a laugh or two!

i tend to agree with that, "reality shows" in space would be awesome... well actually any show in space would probably be pretty awesome. i think we'll see lots of space documentaries, reality shows, and (someone has to say it) porn videos in between 10-20 years when it becomes practical. a reality show to win a ride to space would suck though unless it was a "joe schmoe" thing with no exceptional abilities allowed (intelligence, strength, reflexes, etc).

Here's the plot I will be forwarding to Hollywierd:

Title: "The Great Space Race"
Plot: Allow several people the opportunity to fly on a rocket and orbit the earth in space.
Twists: All participants will be actors except for a single person. There is no spaceflight involved. The final ride will be in a 'vomit-comet' so the person actually experiences weightlessnes for a brief period of time.
Items of Interest: Program must include topics of sex, race relations, politics, religion and gender.
Participant Qualifications: Must have little knowledge of space travel and aeronautics; Must have an attractive but average body.
Climax: Participant and most 'stupid' actor will ride in a zero-G environment and discover a problem that only the most 'stupid' actor can repair.
References: "Joe Schmoe Show"

Just in fun!

Although I do agree that having a show, especially a reality show, in space would raise the public awareness level, I also agree that it would really do more harm than good in the long run. I have the feeling that a reality in space would end up making a complete mockery of the hard work that everyone in the industry would have put in to make that situation even remotely possible.

possibly, but to properly increse the public interest in space you need a lot of hype to be created by someone, this xprize project could potentially deliver hype with a few standard marketing guys making rounds in the media accross the world, but do you really want that?

Without an actual outlet for people to fulfil their space longing, I think any interest generated in space from a reality TV show would tend to be short-lived.

Once some the X-prize teams are actually up and running commercial ventures taking people into space, then I think a TV show could generate potential tourists for their flights. But a TV now isn't going to do anything to generate tourists in 2-3 years.

Somewhat related, I was watching "Amazing Adventures" on the Travel Channel last night, and they showed a guy flying in a MIG up to 80,000 feet. Very cool was the shot of the guy and you could see the curvature of the earth reflected in his visor. That made me wish I had the money to hire a MIG for a couple of hours.

Greg

Maybe I am just having a pessimistic day, but I don't think society in general is ready for a massive flood of interest in space travel. Whether justified or not, people are generally too focused on their own lives to worry about 'that space stuff.' I still have wavering thoughts on a reality show. Something like that will bring in interested parties. It will also make some people think, "That is what the government is using our tax dollars for?!?!"

Easy solution to that... Use a private space craft. If it has nothing to do with the government, then they will not see any relation between the show and tax dollars.

Perhaps I was over generalizing... "Tax Dollars" is too general. I guess what I am trying to say is that something like this just trivializes space technology. The middle-of-the road public may just think, "Wow! Finally a good use for space." I just don't know. Yes, it could bring in cash and a lower-level interest but, I don't know. I just seems 'dirty' in some way. IMHO, of course.

Reality shows might increase the knowledge that there are private space travels - but then there explicitly a suborbital trip by a private suborbital spacecraft is to be offered.

Does the show offer a trip to space in general or explicitly by NASA or explicitly private and suborbital?

Better than any reality show it would be, if the press and the media would send one of their journalists each at a private suborbital travel and then send it in TV. After that there might be a reality show to win a flight by a private non-journalist.

This might help the XPIZE and the team that will take the journalist and the winner of the show to space.



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)