Mad Mike Hughes, the Reckless Flat-Earther, Dies in Rocket Crash

His name took the web by storm. A limousine driver and reckless daredevil by profession, Mad Mike Hughes said he would build a rocket to prove that the Earth was flat. Against all odds, his homemade rocket took flight in March 2018 and he survived that crazy adventure. However, his media-savvy story ended under a tragic note last Saturday, after he was blasted off in a new launch northeast of Los Angeles…

He drove limousines for a living, but the rest of the time he dedicated himself to building his "reckless DIY" character that allowed him to appear in media around the world. The name? Mad Mike Hughes. His goal? To become a homegrown astronaut to find out if the Earth was flat or not. Those close to him say he used flat-Eartherism as a publicity stunt, and from a certain point of view, that stunt was a success. Preparing to extend his "partial success" from March 2018, Hughes and his team headed to a private property in Barstow, a little over 190 kilometers northeast of Los Angeles. The plan? To exceed the 1,500-meter (5,000-foot) barrier.

Unfortunately, Hughes paid the ultimate price there. The video shared on Twitter by independent journalist Justin Chapman shows Hughes' rocket experiencing a catastrophic failure moments after launch, losing its entire parachute system. The rest of its erratic trajectory sent it free-falling about 150 meters from the launch point. Authorities arrived at the scene at two in the afternoon, and the local sheriff's office confirmed Hughes' death after the impact.

The launch footage would be used in the upcoming series "Homemade Astronauts" that Science Channel (under Discovery) will premiere this year. The documentary "Rocketman: Mad Mike's Mission to Prove the Flat-Earth" recorded parts of Hughes' life and those closest to him last year, leaving a touching tribute on his Instagram profile. Beyond the mockery on the Internet, the skepticism, and the inherent risk in his actions, Mad Mike Hughes left this world on his own terms, and not many can say that.

Source: ScienceAlert