Um, ya. He could have saved himself a ton of money, bruises and contusions and possible death by just going up in a hot air balloon in the first place
It was foolish and nothing more than a stunt, nothing scientific that can be proven from it other than the fact that gravity exists.
It'll be interesting when/if he goes up in the helium balloon... and into the mesosphere. I wounder/hope flat earthers will get behind him to help fund that... If that community does not, it would certainly say a lot.
I guarantee it would be next to impossible for him to think the Earth is flat after seeing the curvature for himself. If he survives this next stunt... Don't think you can backyard it into near space. He's going to need some serious support and dollars. Time to stand up flat earth community.
From what I've read, he's not actually a flat earther; he's just opportunistic about funding his rocketry hobby. Apparently before the flat Earth community funded him he had never questioned the globe earth before.
But yeah, clearly not a lot of science happening here :)
I agree, I wrote a post on his near launch last year and said as much. Definitely opportunistic - and from both sides. I think flat earther's saw an opportunity, but I think "Mad" Mike also saw an opportunity to milk some dollars. A guy to watch, if nothing for the cojones on the man.