In Russia, its called "Who wants to be a Cosmonaut?"

MOSCOW, AUG 12: Forget "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". How about "Who Wants To Be A Cosmonaut?"Western investors tryi...

MOSCOW, AUG 12: Forget "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". How about "Who Wants To Be A Cosmonaut?"

Western investors trying to turn Russia’s ageing Mir space station into a money-spinning tourist destination have come up with their latest scheme to keep the 14-year-old orbiter aloft — a TV gameshow, where the winner gets shot into space.

In a press release on its website, MirCorp, a joint venture between Western investors and Russia’s Energiya rocket-building company, said it had signed a deal with Mark Burnett, producer of a series of action shows called Survivor.

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Their new show, called Destination Mir, will bring contestants to train at Russia’s Star City space base, and blast the winner into orbit to visit Mir.

The ageing station is the pride of Russia’s space programme and has provided the world’s deepest experience in long-duration manned space flight.

But it has long since outlived its shelf-life and Washington has repeatedly urged Moscow to scrap it to devote its resources to the long-delayed International Space Station.

Russia launched the living quarters of the international station last month, a module essentially based on Mir, which is scheduled to receive its first live-in crew later this year.

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Russian space officials had said repeatedly that they would have to scrap Mir for lack of funding, but MirCorp’s Western investors have said they can rescue the station by selling tickets to the paying public and making media deals.

Dennis Tito, a businessman and space enthusiast who has reportedly offered millions for the chance to become the world’s first space tourist, is now training at Star City, awaiting a verdict from Russian officials on whether he is fit to fly.

Mir suffered a number of high-profile technical glitches in the past several years, many while US NASA astronauts were on board as guests.

But MirCorp says the Russian Space Programme has had a safe track record in manned space flight for decades, with no fatalities in the past 25 years.