Flat-earther reaches 1875 feet in home-made steam rocket

[midian182]

After land management and mechanical problems delayed earlier attempts, flat-earther “Mad” Mike Hughes finally managed to launch himself 1875 feet into the air inside his home-made steam rocket on Saturday. But it wasn’t high enough to convince him that the world isn’t shaped like a Frisbee.

The 61-year-old limo driver and self-taught rocket builder from California completed the launch in the Mojave Desert, 150 miles east of Los Angeles. Issues with the Bureau of Land Management caused him to cancel previous attempts and forced him to build a better launch platform, which is made from a converted mobile home.

"I'm tired of people saying I chickened out and didn't build a rocket," he said. "I'm tired of that stuff. I manned up and did it."

High winds and the fact the rocket was losing steam—his team wanted it at 350 psi, but the pressure remained at 340 psi—meant another cancelation looked likely, but the launch went ahead. After reaching an estimated 350 mph, Hughes pulled his parachute. The speed he was descending meant he had to deploy a second one. The nose cone acted as a crumple zone and broke in two places on impact, as it was designed to do.

“This thing wants to kill you 10 different ways," said Hughes. "This thing will kill you in a heartbeat.”

"Am I glad I did it? Yeah. I guess. I'll feel it in the morning. I won't be able to get out of bed. At least I can go home and have dinner and see my cats tonight."

The entire event lasted around three to four minutes, and the rocket landed about 1500 feet from the ramp.

1800 feet wasn’t high enough for Hughes to see the earth’s shape, but he said the launch was "a wild stunt designed to raise awareness for my ultimate challenge, THE space launch." He’s aiming to go a lot higher with this next project. He believes the “Rockoon,” a rocket that is carried into the atmosphere by a gas-filled balloon then launched, will take him about 68 miles up and convince him just how round, or flat, our planet is.

"Do I believe the Earth is shaped like a Frisbee? I believe it is," he said. "Do I know for sure? No. That's why I want to go up in space."

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https://www.techspot.com/news/73867-flat-earther-reaches-1875-feet-home-made-steam.html

 

[Puiu]

I just hope that some space dogs don't try to catch the frisbee.

 

[stewi0001]

If I recall correctly, he claims to believe in the flat earth stuff because of funding they were willing to give him.

 

[EClyde]

I think this is really cool. The man has balls if nothing else

 

[Uncle Al]

Amazing and incredibly lame ...... seriously lame ......

 

[andrewdoyle88]

Reminds me of Super Dave.

 

[dirtyferret]

While it's impressive he got that high, what does it prove that going up in one world trade center in NYC would not show you?

 

[Vulcanproject]

Has nobody told him he can very easily just buy an off the shelf high altitude weather balloon and send his own equipment and cameras up on it to 120,000 feet?

Not that he would also understand of course that you need a wide angle to see the obvious curve even at this relatively low altitude but hey.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Ballistic rocket.. steam pressure. He's lucky that he didn't leave his spleen on the seat.

 

[gusticles41]

I'll admit, it's impressive he's doing this all while being self-taught and on a limited budget. Too bad his brain couldn't be put to use in a useful field that would contribute to society.

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

He'd get a better view just paying $150 or so for a commercial flight... and it would be way cheaper and less risky that building a rocket. Silly man.

 

[axiomatic13]

So Elon Musk needs to grab one of these Flat Earthers and send them up for a free trip AROUND the earth with the express caveat that they must write a review when they land. That should be the end of it then?

 

[Gb999]

Amazing! I admire his courage. Built his own rocket and blasted himself into the sky. Outstanding!

 

[wiyosaya]

I find is amazing that, at least apparently, anyway, this guy refuses to accept satellite images, or Voyager's "Pale Blue Dot" image. Someone like this will never be satisfied no matter how high he gets. The Earth will likely still look like a giant Frisbee to him from any vantage point.

If I recall correctly, he claims to believe in the flat earth stuff because of funding they were willing to give him.

That is likely his only motivation, and he likely thinks that anyone willing to invest in him is a sucker.

 

[JamesSWD]

1) Taught himself how to build a steam rocket...surely during his research, he would have encountered the math, physics, or maybe other engineers/rocketeers that would convince him the Earth is a globe.

2) Used mobile home parts for the launch pad.

3) No field-testing of the rocket, chutes, or equipment that we know of.

4) No ejection seat and no way to quickly bail out...an no personal parachute.

5) No pressure suit to protect him from that tremendous G-force at launch.

6) Dude basically Evel Knievel'd & Snake Canyon'd himself on a budget.

Darwinism thought he was a sure thing and was waiting to claim its prize...and this guy's enormous sack of steel & determination somehow avoided its claws. Astounding.

 

[EClyde]

I'll admit, it's impressive he's doing this all while being self-taught and on a limited budget. Too bad his brain couldn't be put to use in a useful field that would contribute to society.

Lame, really lame

 

[Igrecman]

Elon Musk thinks we may be living in a computer generated reality, like in the Matrix movie. That's more lame than flat-eathers IMHO

 

[Mike89]

Reminds me of Super Dave.

Super Dave. That's funny as hell dude.

 

[Mike89]

Amazing and incredibly lame ...... seriously lame ......

lol

 

[treetops]

Typical hot air balloons have the capacity to go as high as 15,000 to 18,000 feet (as long as the occupants have oxygen), but our usual flight ranges from treetop height to about 2,000 feet above the ground. -Google

So he didn't even go higher then a hot air balloon.... smh

Some people here are mistaking stupidity for courage....

 

[Evernessince]

Typical hot air balloons have the capacity to go as high as 15,000 to 18,000 feet (as long as the occupants have oxygen), but our usual flight ranges from treetop height to about 2,000 feet above the ground. -Google

So he didn't even go higher then a hot air balloon.... smh

Some people here are mistaking stupidity for courage....

Exactly. He could have simply walked over to a nearby mountain and have been higher. I remember my boss at my first job always said "work smarter not harder".

 

[captaincranky]

Typical hot air balloons have the capacity to go as high as 15,000 to 18,000 feet (as long as the occupants have oxygen), but our usual flight ranges from treetop height to about 2,000 feet above the ground. -Google

So he didn't even go higher then a hot air balloon.... smh

Some people here are mistaking stupidity for courage....

No, everybody here is mistaking stupidity for the overwhelming allure of that "15 minutes of fame".

Climbing up a mountain, or renting a hot air balloon, certainly wouldn't net you one iota of press coverage or recognition. But when you cross a 15th century theory, with an outrageous publicity stunt, the result approaches TV worthy mayhem. Sic, "Jacka*s for Luddites", as it were.

 

[Bubbajim]

So Elon Musk needs to grab one of these Flat Earthers and send them up for a free trip AROUND the earth with the express caveat that they must write a review when they land. That should be the end of it then?

Nah, 'cus they wud fall of the edj of the cube werld. WAKE UP SHEEPLE.

 

[HyPeroxya]

Ballistic rocket.. steam pressure. He's lucky that he didn't leave his spleen on the seat.

He made sure it was fully vented ....

Even if he gets to LEO he still wont believe..,. just like supporters of xxxxx , facts are just roadblocks to be pushed out of the way of progress.

 

[captaincranky]

Elon Musk thinks we may be living in a computer generated reality, like in the Matrix movie. That's more lame than flat-eathers IMHO

I'm sure Elon Musk isn't going to do anything even remotely connected to someone else's publicity whoring, let alone do it for free.

Why don't you get your binoculars and go outside tonight? If you're "lucky", you might be "graced", by seeing Musk's Tesla go by.