Homemade Astronauts

Homemade Astronauts is a television show on Science Channel and Discovery+ that debuted in 2021. It featured three self financed teams, 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.

History

Mike Hughes reached altitude in a manned steam rocket in 2018, filmed for the series, setting a record for an amateur manned rocket.
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 or in altitude, the steam rocket crashed on landing, killing Hughes.
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, short of the record of.
Season 1 began airing in May 2021, having been filmed over 2.5 years, for a total of 4 episodes. Season 1 carries a dedication This series is dedicated to Michael "Mad Mike" Hughes 1956-2020, and uses the title crawl "The ~~new~~DIY space race is here. ~~Tech giants~~Everyday people are making history. They're using their ~~billions~~credit cards to fund their dreams."

Cast

Cast featured on the show include:
;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

Ky Michaelson, SFX artist, stuntman, and founder of the Civilian Space eXploration Team — the first amateur group to build a rocket which crossed the Kármán line
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

Cameron Smith, doctor of anthropology and archaeology, Portland State University anthropology professor, built his own pressure suit to pilot his balloon to the edge of space.
Majorie, a student and part of Team Smith

Teams

Teams shown include:

The Rocketboys: using a solid fuel rocket; attempting to build a crewed space rocket to reach the edge of space, the McDowell Line
Team Hughes/Stakes, using a balloon launch steam rocket rockoon to reach up, the Kármán Line
Pacific Space Flight: using a balloon; to reach the Armstrong Line, in a high altitude balloon