Watch Homemade Astronauts

Homemade Astronauts is a reality television show that was released on Discovery+, an American streaming network, in 2021. The show follows several individuals, one of whom is the star of the show, 'Mad' Mike Hughes, as they attempt to build and launch homemade rockets.

The concept of the show is based on the idea that space is no longer limited to nation-states and well-funded corporations. Therefore, individuals can create and design their rockets from simple materials found in their garage, take to the skies, and potentially even go to space.

Mike Hughes, who died in February 2020 before the show's release but had already completed filming, has a reputation as a self-taught rocket scientist, a flat-earther, and an individual who succeeded in launching himself into the air several times, often with mixed results. He seeks to create a steam-powered rocket that can reach an altitude of 5,000 feet. He enlists the help of a group of like-minded enthusiasts, including Waldo Stakes, who lost his father to a rocket accident and vowed to finish his dad's work of constructing a flying car, and Ky Michaelson, a legendary rocketman.

In Homemade Astronauts, the trio spends several months testing, constructing, and perfecting the rocket, all while facing many obstacles, such as malfunctioning parts, funding shortages, and even local government regulations. The show reveals a tremendous amount of trial and error as the collective effort struggles to achieve its goal of launching its homemade rocket into the sky.

The show's production team does an exceptional job of keeping the viewers engaged throughout the series. They capture all of the highs and lows of rocket construction and testing, including the moments of triumph when something finally works, as well as the frustration when a component fails or a test yields poor results. With the help of interviews with the cast, the viewer comes to understand the motivation behind each cast member's attempts, allowing them to empathize with their efforts and cheer them on.

The Homemade Astronauts show also explores the various safety and technical issues involved in making it to space. The cast of the show is not run by well-funded space agencies or even established businesses but rather their own garage-based ventures. This means they have to rely on their own knowledge to understand and overcome the various technical and safety-related issues. Viewers can learn about some of these technical and safety issues as they watch the team try to conquer the myriad obstacles that stand between them and space.

Overall, the show is an excellent example of the creative innovation that can arise as space exploration moves beyond its traditional boundaries. It highlights the imagination and hard work required to create a place in the open-concept space to push the boundaries of conventional wisdom.

In conclusion, Homemade Astronauts is an entertaining and informative show that offers a new perspective on the possibility of space exploration. The show offers viewers hope that anyone with a dream, imagination, and hard work can create their own homemade rockets and do the impossible. Using the lens of an oft-regarded mad man and a mix of various passionate adventurers, the show invites the viewer to dream big, imagine the impossible, and appreciate the hard work and risks that go into exploration beyond earth's boundaries.

Homemade Astronauts is a series that ran for 1 seasons (5 episodes) between May 13, 2021 and on discovery+