Homemade Astronauts
{{Short description|American television show}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
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| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 4
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| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Jeremy Simmons
- Tom Campbell
- Fenton Bailey
- Elizabeth A. Decker
- Randy Barbato
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| runtime = 1-hour timeslot
| company = World of Wonder
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| network = Discovery+
| released = {{Start date|2021|05|13|df=y}}
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Homemade Astronauts is a television show on Science Channel (Discovery Science USA) and Discovery+ that debuted 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, and backyards.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/science-channel-orders-series-homemade-astronauts-1226575/ |title=Science Channel Greenlights Series About 'Homemade Astronauts' (Exclusive) |date=24 July 2019 |first=Kimberley |last=Nordyke |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}{{cite episode |title=I Want to go to Space |series=Homemade Astronauts |network=Science Channel |location=USA |year=2021 |number=1 |season=1}}{{cite magazine |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=3 September 2024 |url=https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/inside-amateur-space-race-mens-journal/ |title=Inside America's Great Amateur Space Race |first=Ryan |last=Stuart |magazine=Men's Journal |department=Entertainment}}
History
Mike Hughes reached {{convert|1875|ft|m}} altitude in a manned steam rocket in 2018, filmed for the series, setting a record for an amateur manned rocket.{{cite news |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6587654/flat-earth-mike-hughes-rocket-death/ |title=Flat-Earth martyr or victim? 'Mad' Mike Hughes dies in DIY rocket crash |first=Josh K. |last=Elliott |date=24 February 2020 |publisher=Global Television Network |work=Global News}}{{Cite episode |series=Homemade Astronaut |network=Science Channel |location=USA |year=2021 |number=2 |season=1}}
Discovery Networks gave the greenlight for full series production in 2019, for airing on The Science Channel in 2020.
In February 2020, during filming of an attempt by Mike Hughes to reach {{convert|5000|ft|m|abbr=on}} or {{convert|1|mi|km|abbr=on}} in altitude, the steam rocket crashed on landing, killing Hughes.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51602655 |title='Mad' Mike Hughes dies after crash-landing homemade rocket |date=23 February 2020 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/23/us/mad-mike-hughes-dead.html |title=Mike Hughes, 64, D.I.Y. Daredevil, Is Killed in Rocket Crash |first=Aimee |last=Ortiz |date=23 February 2020 |newspaper=The New York Times}}
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, reaching {{convert|241|mph|kph|abbr=on}}, short of the record of {{convert|247|mph|kph|abbr=on}}.{{cite news |url=https://www.startribune.com/a-minnesotan-drives-a-rocket-sled-across-a-frozen-lake-what-could-go-wrong/568554582/ |title=A Minnesotan drives a rocket sled across a frozen lake. What could go wrong? |date=8 March 2020 |first=Richard |last=Chin |newspaper=Minneapolis Star Tribune}}
Season 1 began airing in May 2021, having been filmed over 2.5 years, for a total of 4 episodes.{{cite web |url=https://popculture.com/reality-tv/news/homemade-astronauts-gets-premiere-date-discovery-watch-first-trailer/ |title='Homemade Astronauts' Gets Premiere Date on Discovery+: Watch the First Trailer (Exclusive) |first=Libby |last=Birk |date=30 April 2021}} Season 1 carries a dedication {{'}}This series is dedicated to Michael "Mad Mike" Hughes 1956-2020{{'}}, and 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.""Homemade Astronauts", Discovery+, 2021, season 1
Cast
Cast featured on the show include:
{{cite episode |title=Remember the Hindenburg |series=Homemade Astronauts |network=Science Channel |location=USA |year=2021 |number=3 |season=1}}{{cite news |url=https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/11-features/509024-406943-homemade-astronauts-local-man-builds-suit-to-float-to-space?wallit_nosession=1 |title='Homemade Astronauts': Local man builds suit to float to space |first=Jason |last=Vondersmith |date=17 May 2021 |newspaper=Portland Tribune |access-date=3 September 2024}}
;Team Hughes/Stakes
- Mike Hughes, professional daredevil, 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 a zenith of {{convert|72|mi|km|abbr=on}};
- 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, Portland State University anthropology professor and wannabe astronaut, who built his own spacesuit, wanting to go to the edge of space
- Majorie, a student and part of Team Smith
Teams
Teams shown include:
- The Rocketboys: (Team Michaelson/Anderson) using a solid fuel rocket; attempting to build a crewed space rocket to reach the edge of space ({{convert|50|mi|km|abbr=on}}), the McDowell LineMcDowell 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
- Team Hughes/Stakes, using a balloon launch steam rocket rockoon to reach {{convert|62|mi|km|abbr=on}} up, the Kármán LineKármán Limit: 100 km up, the edge of space recognized internationally by the FAI, and used by Blue Origin as the edge of space
- Pacific Space Flight: (Team Smith) using a balloon; to reach the Armstrong Line ({{convert|63000|ft|m|abbr=on}} or {{convert|20|km|mi|abbr=on}}), in a high altitude balloonArmstrong 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
Episodes
{{Episode table |background=#000 |overall=6 |title=30 |airdate=20 |prodcode=9 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| Title = I Want to Go to Space
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|13|df=y}}
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| LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| Title = Full Tilt Boogie
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|13|df=y}}
| ProdCode =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| Title = Remember the Hindenburg
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|13|df=y}}
| ProdCode =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| Title = Maybe This is the Day
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|05|13|df=y}}
| ProdCode =
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 000
}}
}}
See also
Notes
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References
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