NBC's New Space Shot

By Stephen M. Silverman

Tuesday July 28, 1998 12:00 AM EDT

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Attention, space cowboys: NBC is entering the reality TV sweepstakes in a big way, the network announced yesterday. It has agreed to pay "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett more than $35 million for his next reality project, which will put an American contestant into space. The show, titled "Destination Mir," is expected to debut a year from now and was reportedly the subject of heavy bidding by all four major networks. Burnett, TV's newest behind-the-scenes star, told the Associated Press, "Space is the ultimate adventure and destination." The show will follow 13 to 15 Americans who will compete -- by seeing who is the best trained to zoom into space -- to win a trip to the Russian space station accompanied by two Russian cosmonauts. America's NASA reportedly passed on participating in the project, and, the Wall Street Journal says, contestants will sign insurance waivers before the training begins. Applications are expected to be accepted over the Web later this year.