A UK company announces its plans to build a functional film studio in space. By 2024, plans include a film production studio, streaming content studio and sports arena. It’s a story that reads like sci-fi. The project also involves the development of a custom-built module; with plans to dock on the commercial wing of the ISS, Axiom Station.
Back in 2020, Tom Cruise announced plans to team with Elon Musk’s Space-X and NASA. The details describe an attempt to shoot the first-ever feature film in space. After budget issues, the October 2021 launch date became impossible. Next, the Russians beat them to the punch, in the vein of the first space race. Roscosmos completed a 12-day shoot on the ISS late last year, crafting a feature called “The Challenge.”
Americans have never been shy about rewriting the terms of the race. That’s what they look set to do with the announcement of this ambitious project. Officially named SEE-1, the site is set to host film and TV productions. These include sports events and live streams for social media influencers. It will all connect to the Axiom Station, a commercial laboratory and residential infrastructure. It’s set to detach from the ISS in 2028.
“Into a Different Realm…”
The SEE co-founders say in a joint statement,
“SEE-1 is an incredible opportunity for humanity to move into a different realm and start an exciting new chapter in space”
Dmitry and Elena Lesnevsky continue, “It will provide a unique and accessible home for boundless entertainment possibilities in a venue packed with innovative infrastructure, which will unleash a new world of creativity.”
Elaborating on the quality of the structure, they explain,
“With worldwide leader Axiom Space building this cutting-edge, revolutionary facility, SEE-1 will provide not only the first but also the supreme quality space structure enabling the expansion of the two trillion-dollar global entertainment industry into low-Earth orbit.”
Some practical details still need addressing. According to designs available on SEE’s website, the “Space Arena” is a large, white sphere of a structure. The interior design, at this stage, is unknown. The capacity for on-site audiences for sporting or music events is also unknown. Recent tourism rates suggest there’ll be a market amongst the wealthy elite.
New Opportunities
“Adding a dedicated entertainment venue to Axiom Station’s commercial capabilities in the form of SEE-1 will expand the station’s utility as a platform for a global user base and highlight the range of opportunities the new space economy offers,” Michael Suffredini, Axiom’s CEO, says in a statement.
Axiom intends to send the cast and crew of Doug Liman’s upcoming space film. It stars Cruise, on the International Space Station. If the film goes ahead, it’ll be the second movie in history to have been shot in space. SEE has plans to have SEE-1 become operational by December 2024.
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