The rocket of ‘Mad Scientist’ comes back to land as it smashes hard in the Mojave Desert.

The idea that our planet is round came up 2500 years ago. Before that, the general perception was that the Earth is flat. Ancient Greeks based their claim on a simple observation that Moon is spherical. They argued that Earth must follow the same pattern and hence its surface should be spherical. This point of view got more strength when Aristotle voted in favor of it. His opinion held a lot of significance as he backed his words with a series of physical evidences.

The shadow of Earth on Moon in case of an eclipse and the disappearance of the sailing ships at the horizon are the most popular of those examples. Later on, when technology emerged and astronauts flew in space, this concept was proved scientifically.

There are numerous reasons that have been presented to conclude that we live in a spherical world. The most obvious proof is that we never fall into space. Humans have explored every nook and corner of this world but no one has slipped into the outer worlds. Flat structure means that we should be able to see a ship sailing form New York to Africa all the way but it doesn’t happen as the horizon changes due to the curves of the spherical Earth.

Similarly, stars on the sky also explain the structure of our planet. If we consider that the Earth is flat, the arrangement of stars must stay the same irrespective of you location on the planet. This means that the view of sky you get in Australia and Alaska will stay the same. Despite all these observations, there are some people who still believe that Earth is flat.

Mike Hughes, a self-taught scientist, is one of them. He is also known as the ‘Madcap Scientist’ in the scientific world. California-based man wanted to show the world that he is right and for this sake he created a rocket from scrap to visit the space himself. He collected the aluminum for the body from a metal shop.

Air filter of an aircraft is used to develop the nozzle while the launching pad for this rocket is attached to a motor home. He made an attempt to reach Earth’s atmosphere with his creation on 25^th November last year but things didn’t go according to plan as he was hit by a speed bump.

Read also: Flat Earth Research: This Man Is Going To Space By Himself To Prove Earth Is Flat

According to his calculations, the steam-powered rocket would have moved at a speed of 500 mph and it will manage to attain a height of 1800 feet that is enough to observe the shape of our planet. 70 gallons of water were heated to generate the energy needed to accomplish the stated requirements. As far as our modern day science is concerned, none of this was possible as the shape of the planet cannot be judged from such an altitude. Similarly, his calculations were regarded as inadequate to make such a dangerous journey. That’s the reason, a lot of people titled him as ‘Mad’. Hughes didn’t care about the criticism and said.

“I don’t believe in science. I know about aerodynamics and fluid dynamics and how things move through the air. But that’s not science, that’s just a formula.”

Originally, the launch was to take place from public land but he was denied permission from the Bureau of Land Management. It didn’t disappoint him as he shifted the launching region to a private property. He himself briefed the Washington Post about it in the following words.

“It’s still happening. We’re just moving it three miles down the road. This is what happens anytime you have to deal with any kind of government agency.”

He did manage to launch successfully but came down hard as his rocket landed in the Mojave Desert. He seemed pretty relieved despite the injuries and answered his critics in an interview post his checkup by the medical staff. A lot of people are praising his efforts as he overcame all the odds in order to fulfill his words.

The ultimate goal which Hughes wants to achieve is to go out there in the space and come back with images showing the disk structure of our planet. Whether he will manage to do that or not, only time will tell.