Discover How a Homemade Astronaut Takes Flight with Mad Mike

By: Discovery

DIY Rocketeer Mike Hughes seeks to launch himself 5,000 feet in the air on a homemade rocket for the new Science Channel series, Homemade Astronauts.

In a cosmic quest to explore the final frontier on a shoe-string budget, Mike Hughes and Waldo Stakes have built a steam powered rocket that will launch “Mad Mike” 5,000 feet into the air. As ground-breaking and awe-inspiring as this event will be, it is only the first step towards an even more ambitious goal in space exploration.

The imaginative duo are aspiring to launch Mike 62 miles into the air, clearing the Karman Line — the border between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. This subsequent phase will incorporate a “Rock-oon” (part rocket, part balloon) that is still being developed. But, before this ambitious event can transpire, they are seeking to raise awareness through this initial launch.

This launch is one of three to be featured in “Homemade Astronauts,” a new series for Science Channel. The series follows three self-financed teams with sky-high dreams, in their cosmic quest to explore the final frontier on limited budgets.

Mike is scheduled for lift-off on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 3p ET. Ahead of his launch, he reflected on the journey that got him to this moment in the video above. As updates become available, this article will be updated on the progress of this historic launch and what happened after.

UPDATE [2/22/20 9:20 ET]:

Michael “Mad Mike” Hughes tragically passed away today during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. It was always his dream to do this launch, and Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey.

Next Up

Caves to Condors: Uncovering Pinnacles National Park

Photographer and conservationist Ian Shive explores one of the lesser known National Parks, Pinnacles National Park, finding rare wildlife and extraordinary landscapes along the way.

Explore the Rugged, Remote Chaco Canyon in New Mexico

Photographer and conservationist Ian Shive photographs one of the most remote and rugged parts of the United States to take us on a journey to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico's Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

Meet the First 6 Awardees of The Explorers Club Discovery Expedition Grant Program

Today, The Explorers Club, a non-profit world leader in exploration, and Discovery Channel announced the first class of awardees to receive approximately a quarter of a million dollars collectively to fund their expeditions. Let’s meet The Explorers Club Discovery Grant awardees.

Andros, Bahamas Has More Than 200 "Blue Holes" — And They're Mostly Unexplored

Learn about the more than 200 underwater cave systems that make Andros a scuba diving mecca at Discovery.com.

This Tanzanian Lake is a Vision in Red- And You Can Visit

This picturesque lake in northern Tanzania is harsh enough to burn anything that touches it. Unless, of course, you're one of the select few species adapted to thrive in it.

Exploring Isolation: Inside the Minds of Legendary Explorers

In the time of quarantine, exploration legends Kathy Sullivan, Bertrand Piccard, and Børge Ousland know a thing or two about facing the challenges of isolation.