I’ve just heard about Space Cadets, a Channel 4 reality show in which a group of nine people were trained as astronauts and told that three of them would be selected to actually fly into space on a Russian spacecraft. (Reportedly the subjects were chosen for their gullibility.)
Although I’m interested in the show generally, how it turned out, and how this prank was perceived by the participants and Britons general, I have a particular interest and ulterior motive.
Press reports before the show started airing in December said that the producers simulated the view of earth from space using a screen the articles called “IMAX” or “IMAX sized.” I’m a journalist covering the IMAX film industry, so I called Imax Corp. and asked about it. They denied being involved. (It’s possible my contact was lying to cover for Channel 4, but for various reasons, I don’t think so.)
So I’m interested in finding out more about what they actually used, and how it looked. (Reportedly Buzz Aldrin came out before they started shooting and said it looked like the real thing.) I’ll be trying to reach someone at Channel 4 this week, but if anyone here saw the show or has any other information, I’m interested in hearing about it. Was it film (as opposed to video)? How large was the screen? Did the show explain anything about how the images were created or displayed?
More general comments about the show are welcome, too, as long as we don’t go too far off-topic.
Thanks.