Daredevil 'Mad Mike' Hughes Dies While Attempting to Launch Homemade Rocket

A well-known daredevil, 'Mad Mike' Hughes, died Saturday (Feb 22) while he was conducting a rocket launch near Barstow, California.

Hughes, 64, had launched himself in a homemade steam-powered rocket and crash landed, witnesses say. A parachute is thought to have separated too early, and was unable to deploy to bring the rocket safely back to the ground.

The homemade rocket launch was part of a new Science Channel series called "Homemade Astronauts." Hughes constructed the steam-powered rocket with his partner, Waldo Stakes, with the intention of launching the 64-year-old 5,000 feet in the air, according to the Discovery Channel's website.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mike Hughes' family and friends during this difficult time. It was always his dream to do this launch, and Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey," the Science Channel said in a statement.

The San Bernardino Sheriff's Office says they were called out to a private property off Highway 247 just before 2 p.m. on Saturday. Hughes was pronounced dead at the scene.

“This launch is one of three to be featured in “Homemade Astronauts,” a new series for Science Channel. The series follows three self-financed teams with sky-high dreams, in their cosmic quest to explore the final frontier on limited budgets,” according to a story on Discovery.com's website.

Hughes was also well-known for his outspoken views about the flat-Earth conspiracy and was on a mission to prove it himself. He eventually hoped to build a rocket that would take him 62 miles in the air, crossing the barrier into outer space.


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