Self-taught rocket scientist plans launch to test flat Earth theory

[the game]

Mad’ Mike Hughes, 61, plans to reach an altitude of 1,800ft over California in his home-made steam-powered rocket

Science is littered with tales of visionaries who paid for pioneering research to prove their theories, and this weekend “Mad” Mike Hughes is hoping to join them. He plans to launch a homemade rocket in California as part of a bid to eventually prove that the Earth is flat.

Hughes has spent $20,000 (£15,000) building the steam-powered rocket in his spare time, and will be livestreaming the launch over the internet. The self-described daredevil says he switched his focus to rockets after twice breaking his back doing stunt jumps in cars.

“I don’t believe in science,” declared the 61-year-old. “I know about aerodynamics and fluid dynamics and how things move through the air. But that’s not science, that’s just a formula.”

The rocket, which Hughes aims to reach an altitude of 1,800ft (550 metres) over California, will be launched from the back of a converted motorhome purchased from Craigslist. It is sponsored by a flat Earth research group, and Hughes plans a subsequent trip to try and observe the flatness of the Earth for himself.

Speaking about the risks of the flight, Hughes said: “It’s scary as hell, but none of us are getting out of this world alive.”

Hughes’ website describes him as “the only man to design, build and launch himself in a rocket” – he previously flew in his own rocket in 2014, as this footage shows.

Hughes has stated that once he lands at the weekend, he intends to announce that he is running for the governorship of California.

Flat Earth theory has seen a resurgence in recent years, fuelled by online message boards and some high-profile endorsements from celebrities. The Flat Earth Society, founded in 1956 and relaunched online in the 2000s, currently boasts of having over 500 members, although the group has splintered into two separate factions with competing websites.

In the NBA, Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving made headlines for appearing to endorse the idea that the Earth is flat, and former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal surprised everyone in March by declaring the same. “I drive from Florida to California all the time, and it’s flat to me,” he said in a March podcast, before later retracting the claim saying he’d been joking. Irving has also recently distanced himself from the belief.

But Hughes is not alone in his quest to reach the sky to test established science. Rapper BoB has made social media posts supporting the theory in the past, and is currently attempting to raise $1m to place “multiple weather balloons and satellites into space, for experimental exploration”. He has so far only managed to gather nearly $7,000 for the project.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...t-earth-theory

[Independent voter]

Those flat earth people don't have a lot of money.

How do they explain away the arch of the horizon



Where you can see the curve of the ocean.

[Freighter]

Those flat earth people don't have a lot of money.

How do they explain away the arch of the horizon



Where you can see the curve of the ocean.

Doesn't look like anything to me.

[kasuke06]

okay. rocket science is no longer a barometer for smart, got it.

[Grimbold21]

Conspiracy theories threads aren't allowed.

[Enthusiastic Steward]

Those flat earth people don't have a lot of money.

How do they explain away the arch of the horizon



Where you can see the curve of the ocean.

Photoshop. Here is a photo that is flat. See that's how it really is, you edited yours to look curved. What do you mean my flat one is photoshopped, this is real proof you have to accept it look I have a picture. *brain makes fart noises for 10 minutes*

OT:
This is really something people should fund and help make successful. What the fuck is he going to do when he gets up there and is wrong? We need to pay to livestream that shit.

Conspiracy theories threads aren't allowed.

Threads about specific aspects tangentially related (an example being a thread talking about B.o.B. talking about it, rather than explicitly being about it) seem to ride a line where its ok for a little bit, until the inevitable derailment veers too far and it gets shut down. At least that's been my observed experience.

So talking about this guys rocket flight specifically will last until somebody goes all in. Any bets on what page we make it to?

[Sharein]

This is really something people should fund and help make successful.

I'd rather throw my money in a bin.

[LMuhlen]

550 meters? Why does he need a rocket for that? Can't he just get on a plane? Or a balloon?

Although I am very curious to see a steam powered rocket...

[the game]

Photoshop. Here is a photo that is flat. See that's how it really is, you edited yours to look curved. What do you mean my flat one is photoshopped, this is real proof you have to accept it look I have a picture. *brain makes fart noises for 10 minutes*

OT:
This is really something people should fund and help make successful. What the fuck is he going to do when he gets up there and is wrong? We need to pay to livestream that shit.

I'm more interested if he'll survive it.

[kail]

Will he shut up about flat earths after he finds out how wrong he is?

[Deleted]

Obviously mentally ill

[Enthusiastic Steward]

I'd rather throw my money in a bin.

I'd throw $5 to see the look on his face when he gets up there before just throwing it in a bin, but whatever milks your guernsey.

[ParanoiD84]

Talk about waste of money.

[Medusa Cascade]

@Hammerfest as our resident Flat Earther, what are your thoughts?

[Thrive]

okay. rocket science is no longer a barometer for smart, got it.

I mean he's probably pretty smart, also just insane. A lot of people are smart but also insane.

[Iphie]

Darwin Award waiting to happen.

[masterhorus8]

Talk about waste of money.

TBH, I think that is the point. Want to make your own rocket? Who else would easily throw money at it to attempt to prove themselves when other legitimate sponsors wouldn't?

[Mirrass]

Those flat earth people don't have a lot of money.

How do they explain away the arch of the horizon


Where you can see the curve of the ocean.

I usually assume most of them live in the mid west far far away from big bodies of water. Because all it takes to prove them wrong is hang out at a beach or dock and watch boats sail out there is a clear pattern to how you lose sight as part by part slips below horizon line. If Earth was flat it would just shrink to a dot not slowly drop below los

[Grimbold21]

...

I don't really care, man. If it was up to me, we'd leave it open for the resident flat earthers to get ridiculed.

[Enthusiastic Steward]

TBH, I think that is the point. Want to make your own rocket? Who else would easily throw money at it to attempt to prove themselves when other legitimate sponsors wouldn't?

I actually read another article about this last night (trying to find it) and I'm fairly sure he's just doing this for the money. He's done stuff like this before (not on this scale) and has been struggling to get funding for this latest one. He launched a fundraiser last year and didn't say a peep about flat earth stuff, but all of a sudden jumped on the bandwagon, told the group he was a 'recent convert' and then asked for money to prove it.

I don't really care, man. If it was up to me, we'd leave it open for the resident flat earthers to get ridiculed.

I'm with you, I was just responding more generally as to how this sort of thing historically seems to be handled by the mods.