Flat-Earther to announce run for governor after shooting himself 1 mile into the air. [View all]

https://apnews.com/9d8e5e8e9245412ab80f5a1f58d885b7/Self-taught-rocket-scientist-plans-to-launch-over-ghost-town

He believes what he believes, including that the Earth is flat. He knows this thought is a conundrum, given that he’s about to launch himself into the atmosphere.

Down the road, he’s intending to build a rocket that takes him to space, so he can snap a picture and see with his own eyes.

“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.”

...

Following his jump, he said he’s going to announce his plans to leap into the race for governor of California.

No joke.

His future plans include an excursion into space. He and Stakes have already brainstormed on a “Rockoon,” which is a rocket that, rather than being immediately ignited while on the ground, is carried into the atmosphere by a gas-filled balloon, then separated from the balloon and lit. This rocket will take Hughes about 68 miles up.





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This guy trusts the formulas for air-travel, but he doesn't trust the models that created these formulas...

And for his idea to use a "Rockoon": I did some calculations on that a few years ago. The upper limit for blimps (before they pop) is roughly 10-20 kilometers. And at this height, the atmospheric pressure is still so high that the air-drag is only insignificantly lower than on ground-level.
In other words: With a "Rockoon" you use an extremely elaborate and expensive launch-method and you get only a tiny advantage in return.