Personally, I think Americans have forgotten their history. We had nearly unbridled capitalism in this county before, it was devastating and the reason things like socialist values, worker rights and consumer protection was enacted and embraced. All anyone has to do is just pickup an American...
He tried earlier to get funding for his rocket but failed miserably, only 300 sum odd dollars. After that failure is when he started pitching to the Earth is flat people, and that is where he found people dumb enough to fund his rocket. I think it is possible he just wants to shoot himself in...
The man has already nearly killed himself with a homemade rocket before, I have little doubt he actually plans to launch himself into the air with his homemade rocket. However, I do doubt he is actually doing it to prove the Earth is flat, I think it is possible he just said that to get the flat...