Homemade Astronauts
Country of originUS
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4
Production
Running time1-hour timeslot
Original release
NetworkDiscovery+
Release13 May 2021 (2021-05-13)

Homemade Astronauts is a television show on The Science Channel (Discovery Science USA) and Discovery+, that started airing in 2021. It featured DIY wannabe astronauts, who design and build their own equipment, in an attempt to reach the edge of space. The people are average Americans building on their farms, ranches, garages, backyards.[1][2][3]

History

Mike Hughes reached 1,875 feet (572 m) altitude in a manned steam rocket in 2018, filmed for the series, setting a record for an amateur manned rocket.[4][5]

Discovery Networks gave the greenlight for full series production in 2019, for airing on The Science Channel in 2020.[3]

In February 2020, during filming an attempt by Mike Hughes to reach 5,000 ft (1,500 m) or 1 mi (1.6 km) in altitude, the steam rocket crashed on landing, killing Hughes.[6][7][5]

In March 2020, the show filmed an attempt by Kurt Anderson to break the world ice speed record in his rocket sled Arctic Arrow using a peroxide rocket, with the Rocketboys team. The attempt resulted in a crash that destroyed the dragster sled, just shy of the record, reaching 241 mph (388 km/h), short of the record of 247 mph (398 km/h).[8]

Season 1 began airing in May 2021, having been filmed over 2.5 years, for a total of 4 episodes.[9] Season 1 carries a dedication 'This series is dedicated to Michael "Mad Mike" Hughes 1956-2020'. And it uses the title crawl "The newDIY space race is here. Tech giantsEveryday people are making history. They're using their billionscredit cards to fund their dreams."[10]

Cast

Featured on the show include: [1][4][11][3][9][12]

Team Hughes/Stakes
  • Mike Hughes, professional daredeveil, wannabe astronaut
  • Waldo Stakes, vehicle designer; builder of Hughes' manned rocket
  • Stephanie, Waldo's daughter and team member
The Rocketboys (Team Michaelson/Anderson)
  • Ky Michaelson, SFX artist and stuntman and amateur rocketeer, who in 2004 built the first amateur rocket that reached space at zenith of 72 mi (116 km) up;
  • Kurt Anderson, Rocketboys mechanical engineer, and Arctic Arrow rocket sled dragster pilot, wannabe astronaut
  • David, Rocketboys electronics engineer
  • Buddy Michaelson, son of Ky, Rocketboys parachute expert
Pacific Space Flight (Team Smith)
  • Cameron Smith, doctor of anthropology and archaeology, and Portland State University anthropology professor, wannabe astronaut, who built his own spacesuit, and wanting to go to the edge of space
  • Majorie, a student and part of Team Smith

Teams

Teams shown include: [1][4][6][3][9][12]

  • The Rocketboys: (Team Michaelson/Anderson) using a solid fuel rocket; attempting to build a manned space rocket to reach the edge of space (50 mi (80 km)), the McDowell Line[NB 1]
  • Team Hughes/Stakes, using a balloon launch steam rocket rockoon to reach 62 mi (100 km) up, the Karman Line[NB 2]
  • Pacific Space Flight: (Team Smith) using a balloon; to reach the Armstrong Line (63,000 ft (19,000 m) or 20 km (12 mi)), in a high altitude balloon[NB 3]

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal release dateProd.
code
1"I Want to Go to Space"13 May 2021 (2021-05-13)TBA
2"Full Tilt Boogie"13 May 2021 (2021-05-13)TBA
3"Remember the Hindenburg"13 May 2021 (2021-05-13)TBA
4"Maybe This is the Day"13 May 2021 (2021-05-13)TBA

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ McDowell Limit: 50 miles up, the edge of space recognized by the U.S. government, by USAF/FAA/NASA, and used by Virgin Galactic as the edge of space
  2. ↑ Karman Limit: 100 km up, the edge of space recognized internationally by the FAI, and used by Blue Origin as the edge of space
  3. ↑ Armstrong Limit: FL630, the edge of the atmosphere where pressure suits are required to prevent bodily fluids from boiling; used by balloon based space tourism companies as the edge of space

References

  1. 1 2 3 "I Want to go to Space". Homemade Astronauts. Season 1. Episode 1. USA. 2021. Science Channel.
  2. ↑ Ryan Stuart. "Inside America's Great Amateur Space Race". Mens Journal.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kimberley Nordyke (24 July 2019). "Science Channel Greenlights Series About 'Homemade Astronauts' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  4. 1 2 3 Homemade Astronaut. Season 1. Episode 2. USA. 2021. Science Channel.
  5. 1 2 Josh K. Elliott (24 February 2020). "Flat-Earth martyr or victim? 'Mad' Mike Hughes dies in DIY rocket crash". Global News. Global Television.
  6. 1 2 Aimee Ortiz (23 February 2020). "Mike Hughes, 64, D.I.Y. Daredevil, Is Killed in Rocket Crash". New York Times.
  7. ↑ "'Mad' Mike Hughes dies after crash-landing homemade rocket". BBC News. BBC. 23 February 2020.
  8. ↑ Richard Chin (8 March 2020). "A Minnesotan drives a rocket sled across a frozen lake. What could go wrong?". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
  9. 1 2 3 Libby Birk (30 April 2021). "'Homemade Astronauts' Gets Premiere Date on Discovery+: Watch the First Trailer (Exclusive)".
  10. ↑ "Homemade Astronauts", Discovery+, 2021, season 1
  11. ↑ "Remember the Hindenburg". Homemade Astronauts. Season 1. Episode 3. USA. 2021. Science Channel.
  12. 1 2 Jason Vondersmith (17 May 2021). "'Homemade Astronauts': Local man builds suit to float to space". Portland Tribute.
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