'Mad Mike' Hughes dies in homemade steam rocket accident

[essentialsaltes]

Daredevil rocket builder “Mad” Mike Hughes of Apple Valley died Saturday, Feb. 22, when the homemade steam-powered vessel he manned as part of a television series crashed in the San Bernardino County desert near Barstow, reports said.

The Science Channel, which has scheduled the series “Homemade Astronauts” to premiere this year, and TMZ reported that Hughes, 64, was aboard the rocket and perished in the accident.

A video posted on Twitter shows a parachute separating from the rocket just after launch and then moments later, the rocket falling from hundreds of feet nose-down.

...

He came to prominence (at least here on the forums) for his association with Flat Earthers who funded some of his earlier launches.

 

[pleinmont]

It beats me how anyone can believe the earth is flat these days, when there is more than enough evidence to prove it is circular.

 

[High Fidelity]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Shame he didn't at least get high enough to see the curvature of the Earth.

 

[lasthero]

I’m sad to hear the man died, but yeah, it’s not exactly surprising. If you knock on Death’s door enough, he’s going to answer, sooner or later.

 

[Dave G.]

Splat. Guess he didn't know his limitations.

 

[High Fidelity]

I wonder if there will be a society formed to prove that Mike Hughes isn't flat

 

[Tom 1]

Daredevil rocket builder “Mad” Mike Hughes of Apple Valley died Saturday, Feb. 22, when the homemade steam-powered vessel he manned as part of a television series crashed in the San Bernardino County desert near Barstow, reports said.

The Science Channel, which has scheduled the series “Homemade Astronauts” to premiere this year, and TMZ reported that Hughes, 64, was aboard the rocket and perished in the accident.

A video posted on Twitter shows a parachute separating from the rocket just after launch and then moments later, the rocket falling from hundreds of feet nose-down.

...

He came to prominence (at least here on the forums) for his association with Flat Earthers who funded some of his earlier launches.

Was he attempting a sort of flat-earth proof experiment of some sort, or was he just into rockets (if you know)?

RIP Mr Hughes.

 

[Ophiolite]

I take my hat off to the man. Eccentric, but action oriented; willing to put his money where his mouth is and his life on the line for what he fervently believed. I consider Flat Earth "Theory" to be the epitome of balderdash, but I have huge admiration for someone who commits themselves in support of their beliefs. Much more worthy than those who spread FE nonsense on the internet and arguably worthier even than those, like me, who take time to refute the nonsense. Here's to you Mike.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Was he attempting a sort of flat-earth proof experiment of some sort, or was he just into rockets (if you know)?

Apparently this stunt was to be part of a Science Channel show about homemade rockets. As far as I know, there was no particular connection to the flat earth. (I half suspect that his association with the flat earth was a way to raise funds from flat earthers.)

 

[Tom 1]

Apparently this stunt was to be part of a Science Channel show about homemade rockets. As far as I know, there was no particular connection to the flat earth. (I half suspect that his association with the flat earth was a way to raise funds from flat earthers.)

Quite a canny idea that.

 

[Tom 1]

For any flatEarthers reading, I have trained my dog as an SLD (super long distance) biological spirit level. She will prove - yes prove - that the earth is indeed flat. All I need is $10,000,000 to file the patent in the übersphere planning office. Be the first to donate!

 

[pleinmont]

For any flatEarthers reading, I have trained my dog as an SLD (super long distance) biological spirit level. She will prove - yes prove - that the earth is indeed flat. All I need is $10,000,000 to file the patent in the übersphere planning office. Be the first to donate!

Give me your bank account details and I will put the money in it.

 

[Tom 1]

Give me your bank account details and I will put the money in it.

Cash only, I’m being followed by NASA. They don’t want the truth to come out, they’ve been monitoring my dog under the guise of phoney concerns about ‘vaccines’ and ‘biting people’. Leave the money at the big farm, near my house, Romania. The truth is out there (etc).

 

[pleinmont]

Cash only, I’m being followed by NASA. They don’t want the truth to come out, they’ve been monitoring my dog under the guise of phoney concerns about ‘vaccines’ and ‘biting people’. Leave the money at the big farm, near my house, Romania. The truth is out there (etc).

You will have to collect it and it will be in UK £s.

 

[Lost4words]

As a dog myself i see that as very discriminatory and slave labour!

 

[OldWiseGuy]

It beats me how anyone can believe the earth is flat these days, when there is more than enough evidence to prove it is circular.

It's actually globular.

 

[Lost4words]

May he rest in peace anyway...

 

[Tom 1]

As a dog myself i see that as very discriminatory and slave labour!

Hold your horses, Fido, it was the dog’s idea. She’s been a Flerfer for years.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Never hear of Mad Mike, But at least, he was doing something he loved ,before he died.

 

[pleinmont]

Surely it isn't legal to make your own space rocket, and try to go into space in the thing, although the weirdest things appear to be legal in the US? I doubt he would have been permitted to do that here in the UK.