Flat earther dies after crash-landing homemade rocket

**WillBrink** · 02-23-20, 08:53

From the stupid hurts files:

"Mad" Mike Hughes, 64, crash-landed his steam-powered rocket shortly after take-off near Barstow on Saturday.

A video on social media shows a rocket being fired into the sky before plummeting to the ground nearby.

Hughes was well-known for his belief that the Earth was flat. He hoped to prove his theory by going to space.

Saturday's launch was reportedly filmed as part of Homemade Astronauts, a new TV series about amateur rocket makers to be aired on the US Science Channel. The project had to be carried out on a tight budget.

With the help of his partner Waldo Stakes, Hughes was trying to reach an altitude of 5,000ft (1,525m) while riding his steam-powered rocket, according to Space.com.

In the video of the launch, a parachute can be seen trailing behind the rocket, apparently deployed too early, seconds after take-off.

In a tweet, the Science Channel said Hughes had died pursuing his dream.

Cont:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51602655?

**Alex V** · 02-23-20, 09:09

5,000 ft Hu? Wouldn’t a Cessna 152 do the same thing, much cheaper and much safer?

**Don Robison** · 02-23-20, 09:18

Originally Posted by Alex V

5,000 ft Hu? Wouldn’t a Cessna 152 do the same thing, much cheaper and much safer?

Or a $99 Alegient Airline ticket to wherever. LOL

**arptsprt** · 02-23-20, 09:23

2020 Darwin Award candidate.

Clearly, 5,000 ft was his goal because at 5,000 ft AGL the earth does look flat so he would’ve gotten the answer he was looking for.

I laughed at one of the comments in the video link:

“The Earth is still round. Mad Mike Hughes is flat. RIP.”

Lol.

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**Hmac** · 02-23-20, 09:28

I guess his intricate calculations for the flight were based on the earth being flat. Oops.

**Alpha-17** · 02-23-20, 09:30

I'm probably getting this guy mixed up with another goofball, but if memory serves, he wasn't actually a flat earther. He was actually just trying to set a record for steam-powered flight but needed cash. The Flat earth crowd helped fund him when he started using that as his raison d'être. Anybody else remember hearing that, or am I just losing it?

**Grand58742** · 02-23-20, 09:31

Win stupid prizes...

Hughes has repeatedly tried to launch homemade rockets and actually did launch an earlier rocket in 2018. During that flight, which reached a maximum height of 1,875 feet (572 m), Hughes suffered compressed vertebrae but still aimed to launch ever higher.

Flat Earthers are probably the most ignorant people I think I've every heard of.

**arptsprt** · 02-23-20, 09:33

The BBC article says:

“The daredevil, who lived in Apple Valley, made headlines internationally when he announced his intention to prove his theory that the Earth was flat.”

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