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Flat Earther Plans To Launch Homemade Manned Rocket (apnews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the beware dept.

walterbyrd shares an Associated Press report: Self-taught rocket scientist "Mad" Mike Hughes is a 61-year-old limo driver who's spent the last few years building a steam-powered rocket out of salvage parts in his garage. His project has cost him $20,000, which includes Rust-Oleum paint to fancy it up and a motor home he bought on Craigslist that he converted into a ramp. His first test of the rocket will also be the launch date -- Saturday, when he straps into his homemade contraption and attempts to hurtle over the ghost town of Amboy, California. He will travel about a mile at a speed of roughly 500 mph. "I don't believe in science," said Hughes, whose main sponsor for the rocket is Research Flat Earth. "I know about aerodynamics and fluid dynamics and how things move through the air, about the certain size of rocket nozzles, and thrust. But that's not science, that's just a formula. There's no difference between science and science fiction."
UPDATE (11/25/17): His first launch atttempt had to be cancelled after his homemade launcher broke down in his driveway.

27 of 555 comments (clear)

  1. OMG by Chrisq · · Score: 5, Insightful

    OMG will someone stop him from this suicide attempt?

    1. Re:OMG by Kokuyo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      To what end? At this point he's jut a waste of space.

    2. Re:OMG by gtvr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I wonder if the mechanics of landing are just formulas or "science fiction"

    3. Re:OMG by I'm+New+Around+Here · · Score: 5, Funny

      Stop him, hell. I just donated to his kickstarter.

      --
      If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
    4. Re:OMG by CeasedCaring · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why? This is Darwinism at work (not that he believes in that, either!)

    5. Re:OMG by bigwheel · · Score: 5, Informative

      TFA says that he plans to open two parachutes, and presumably float to safety. For those old enough to remember, this is not very different from what Evil Knievel did when jumping the Snake River canyon. EK had to know that there was no way he'd land it on 2 wheels. The difference was that EK made a lot of money with his "failed" stunt.

    6. Re:OMG by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 5, Funny

      Now he's a Flat-Earther. He's merely about to become a flat Earther.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    7. Re:OMG by budgenator · · Score: 4, Funny

      If he changes the water for 100% hydrogen peroxide he might get high enough to see the edge. The real problem is when your up that high, the mind controll rays are real strong; if your not wearing at least 3 layers of tin foil they'll get through and all you'll remember is seeing round not flat!

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
    8. Re:OMG by jwhyche · · Score: 5, Funny

      Oh look. Three more words that will never be in my obituary, "home made rocket."

      --
      I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
    9. Re:OMG by jwhyche · · Score: 4, Informative

      He will bounce off the transparent dome that keeps all the air in first long before he reaches the moon.

      --
      I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
    10. Re:OMG by Farmer+Tim · · Score: 3, Funny

      That isn’t going to make him any dumber...

      --
      Blank until /. makes another boneheaded UI decision.
    11. Re: OMG by SuricouRaven · · Score: 3, Interesting

      One person would walk out and die.

      The second would be confused for a few minutes, then realise that the entire set has been built as a giant vacuum chamber to trick them - it's probably inside a huge cave underground, with spotlights on the ceiling. He'll tell the others, and no more venture outside.

      Conspiracy theories will adapt to counter any evidence presented.

  2. I can't even this morning by HumanWiki · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't.. I was going to quote some stuff and then comment on some other.. but, I can't..

    Even Wile E Coyote wasn't that stupid.

    1. Re:I can't even this morning by Kokuyo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Wile E. Coyote is actually a pretty diametral example. A lot of his failures were due to cartoon physics not being real physics. This joker here has it kinda backwards ;).

  3. Let's hope... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Let's hope his test on Saturday goes well and that he proves Darwin's theory of evolution.

  4. his troll-fu is weak by Thud457 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's gotten to the point where we can't tell the trolls from the idiots. It's just easier to assume they're all idiots.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  5. Re: Total flamebait article by sg_oneill · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Can you not please try and speak for the rest of us? Itâ(TM)s a science article about home made rockets , this is a geek site. Itâ(TM)s exactly what the site is about and has always been about , and Iâ(TM)ve been here since the nineties

    --
    Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
  6. Pass the popcorn by bjorniac · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Self-taught rocket scientist..."

    This is gonna be good.

    1. Re:Pass the popcorn by bjorniac · · Score: 5, Informative

      No. Von Braun learnt from Ley and Oberth, and did a PhD in physics specializing in rocketry at Friedrich-Wilhelm University.

  7. Doesn't believe in science... by Tomahawk · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...so does some science!

    He believes the Earth is flat, and wants to build a rocket so that he can go up and take a look for himself.

    So he has an hypothesis and is going to build and experiment to either prove or disprove it...

    Maybe his definition of science is a bit different from mine, though...

  8. The real question by grasshoppa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Is how we can encourage this behavior. Encourage everyone who doesn't "believe" in science to take themselves out. It could only help the species.

    Of course, we'd lose most of our politicians....so it's really a win/win.

    --
    Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
  9. Breaking news! by Narcocide · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Rocket scientist trolls entire world by building a rocket out of garbage while claiming not to be a scientist. Plans to adhere to the scientific method while claiming not to believe in science.

    Godspeed, you mad scientist. Onward for science!

    1. Re:Breaking news! by pz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Ah, someone gets it!

      This guy is attempting one of the biggest trolls I've ever seen! The best part is his underlying message, which is pure science: "I don't believe you, and I'm going to check for myself." How much more Aristotelian can you get?

      --

      Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
  10. Way cool, but needs a better chute! [Re:OMGQ] by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 4, Informative

    I wonder if the mechanics of landing are just formulas or "science fiction"

    TFA says that he plans to open two parachutes, and presumably float to safety.

    Yeah. Take a look at the chute on his first launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
    Definitely needs some rethinking, and, yes, a second chute is a really good idea.

    With that said, though: this is really cool!

    another yootoob, this one with still pictures from a test a few months later. You definitely did not want to land inside THAT rocket! https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    For those old enough to remember, this is not very different from what Evil Knievel did when jumping the Snake River canyon.

    Strike "what Evil Knievel did". Substitute "what Evil Knievel tried to do.

    --
    http://www.geoffreylandis.com
  11. Re: Total flamebait article by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's a geek site, and yet you're either trademarking a bunch of a's with little hats or they still haven't figured out Unicode 20 years in.

    --
    Do you have ESP?
  12. Making Earth Flat Again by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I don't believe in science," said Hughes

    I think Trump may have found his new director of NASA.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  13. Wat by x_t0ken_407 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't believe in science...I know about aerodynamics and fluid dynamics and how things move through the air, about the certain size of rocket nozzles, and thrust. But that's not science, that's just a formula.

    You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.