Categories: OMG

Flat-Earther Dies After Attempting To Launch Himself in a Homemade Rocket

"It was always his dream to do this launch."

Daredevil and flat-earther Michael Hughes died last February 22, 2020 after launching himself in a self-made rocket.
His death was captured on film by Science Channel as they were filming him for the show Homemade Astronauts.

64-year-old Michael ‘Mad Mike’ Hughes wasn’t only a daredevil. He was also a self-taught rocket scientist. Unfortunately, building his own rocket would eventually lead to his untimely demise.

The amateur astronaut recently passed away in Barstow, California after launching himself in his homemade rocket. He was aiming to fly 5,000 ft up in the sky.

The Science Channel has been following and filming Mike and his project, featuring him in the program Homemade Astronauts.

In a Twitter post by the Science Channel, we read:

“Our thoughts & prayers go out to his family & friends during this difficult time. It was always his dream to do this launch.”

Back in March 2019, Mike successfully launched his rocket about 1,875 feet. This gave him the confidence to aim for a higher target – and he has since been performing other stunts and flying homemade rockets.

Things didn’t go as planned this time around.

His rocket’s safety parachute quickly broke off upon his launch and then his shuttle came crashing down. There were round 50 people who witnessed the tragic incident as they watched him launch the rocket he made.

Justin Chapman, a journalist, said Hughes’ rocket “fell about 150 meters from the launch site.”

Hughes previously held a Guinness World Record after performing an amazing 103-feet jump while riding a Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine.

Aside from being a stuntman and a rocket scientist, Hughes was also a dedicated Flat Earth conspiracy theorist. “The Flat Earth thing is like everything else to me,” Hughes told CBS in 2018. “I just want people to question everything.”

Meanwhile, Hughes said in a Space.com interview that being a Flat Earther had “nothing to do” with his rocket projects, adding he mainly did it “to inspire people.”