Others were more somber, stating that his passing was proof of the dangers of believing wholeheartedly in dangerous anti-scientific beliefs. Waldo heard that somebody was trying to reprise Knievels spectacularly unsuccessful 1974 jump across Snake River Canyon in a steam-powered rocket. Ive heard that some make six figures promoting a flat earth. Now theres a breakthrough. But the crews lack of urgency told a different story. With time their family will shares his funeral information publically. Please refresh the page and try again. Hughes was officially pronounced dead at 5:34 p.m. An autopsy revealed that he had died of acute coronary thrombosis, brought on by premature hardening of the arteries. He wanted the fame and the girls, Sargent says, adding that Hughes had sued him and other Flat Earth figures, claiming his name was his legal property. Felix Baumgartner and Alan Eustace had spent a gazillion dollars and years of preparation on sophisticated equipment and huge engineering teams to ride balloons up 24 and 26 miles, respectively, and then parachute back to terra firma. People ask me why I do stuff like this, he said. Chute! The rocket launch was originally scheduled for the weekend of November 25, 2017; Hughes then rescheduled for December 2, 2017, blaming ongoing difficulties in obtaining permissions. Social media platforms like YouTube have also been criticized for serving as a platform for those espousing Flat Earth views, a criticism that last year it addressed by tweaking its algorithm to prevent from recommending such content to users. A US daredevil pilot has been killed during an attempted launch of a homemade rocket in the Californian desert. Hughes' death was confirmed by Waldo Stakes, a longtime collaborator of the stunt man, and a representative of The Science Channel which is part of Discovery and had been following Hughes' rocket mission for their new show Homemade Astronauts. Head coach Joe Schmidt and the entire Lions team attended Hughes' funeral in San Antonio. accident on rt 15 dillsburg, pa today; leonardo de lozanne estatura; affects relatively small area in width and distance; i spit on your grave (2010) full movie 123movies Disoriented, Mike released the compressed-air-powered parachutes while he was still traveling too fast. [15], A successful launch on March 24, 2018, resulted in his reaching a height of 1,875 feet (572m) and a hard landing in the Mojave Desert. A rival steam-engine builder. A trial using the gene-editing tool inside the body hints at treating, or even curing, a rare fatal diseaseand is changing a community in the process. Waldo cajoled me into writing a brief, lighthearted story about the episode. The Science Channel show, Homemade Astronauts, documented three self-financed teams as they attempt to get a rocket into space on a shoestring budget. Something was always going wrong. Roys Motel & Caf, the only retail establishment in Amboy (population: 4) on famous Route 66. For more than 250 years, mathematicians have wondered if the Euler equations might sometimes fail to describe a fluids flow. However, he hadnt shared any further information regarding his marriage and who is his wife. However, a BLM spokesman said its local field office had no record of speaking to Hughes at the time. He shared a video on Twitter and said Mad Mike Hughes just launched himself in a self-made steam-powered rocket and crash landed. [11] Hughes moved his launch pad 4 miles (6km) so that he could take off and land on private property, but the BLM maintained he still needed to fill out permits. When the superheated water is released, it passes through a nozzle at the base of the fuselage and turns to steam, producing the thrust necessary to launch the rocket. In 2002, he had already set a Guinness Word Record as he jumped about 103 foot in at Lincon Car stretch Limo. It was horrible, he says. His journey was to be featured on Homemade Astronauts, a series on the Science Channel. A former stuntman, Hughes had done two rocket launches prior to his death, one in 2014 and one in 2018, from which he emerged without major incident. He seriously injured his back when a mountain of car tires intended to cushion his landing separated, and he crashed into a wall. I really appreciate it, Mike told me about an hour before the crash. I think thats what hit us then and there: this is completely dangerous. This Christmas, Its Firmageddon as Climate Change Hits Oregon, More than a million acres of state forest contain trees that have succumbed to stressors exacerbated by a multiyear drought, A New Computer Proof Blows Up Centuries-Old Fluid Equations. Nobody could find the pylons for the guy wires supporting the launch rail. Very likely did not survive. He was born in 1955 although there is no information about his exact net worth, date and birthplace is available on the internet but he lived in Barstow, California. His post-flat-Earth fundraising campaign made its $7,875 goal. So it was possible to indulge in some magical thinking and imagine that maybe, against all odds, Mike might be able to emerge from the cockpit reasonably unscathed. Waldo Stakes who was working on the same project as a colleague of Mad Mike also confirmed that It was Unsuccessful and he passed away However he further refused to made any statements of comments on this regard. I didnt join them. I love that ending, where he was able to be successful, Brusseau said. I didnt care about the steam rocket per se, since it had nothing to do with the space project. But the more Waldo talked, the more credible the project sounded. Periodically, Waldo would call me with updates. But, of course, his biggest delusion was that there was widespread interest in his antics. Sure enough, I approached WIRED and got a green light. I knew there were no backup systems. Daredevil 'Mad' Mike Hughes has died after launching himself into the air on a homemade rocket that later crash landed, possibly due to a parachute malfunction. He was likable, funny, and surprisingly boyish for somebody who was nearly 64. At least I enabled him. You had to shout to be heard over the low-pitched thrum of the generator heating water in the boiler. Hughes famously launched himself nearly 1,900 feet upward in a homemade steam-powered rocket early in 2018. The hard-working crew (left to right) Waldo Stakes, Steve Talbert (security), Mad Mike, Mike Hawkins (longtime friend of Mikes), Albert Okura (the mayor/owner of Amboy), Danny Bern (stalwart crew member) and Bill Inman (builder of his own steam-engine rockets). So the carnival headed back to Amboy last summer. Regardless of what happened, he still built a rocket and he launched a rocket. 'Mad' Mike Hughes was killed in a rocket crash in the desert in California. Despite my misgivings, I was intrigued. Video posted online shows the exact moment Mad Mike Hughes homemade rocket came crashing down to Earth after a failed launch attempt, killing the self-styled daredevil. When Waldo scampered clear, I repositioned myself behind an EMS van for protection. Ive got balls, and I will roll the dice.. WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. A freelance journalist named Justin Chapman and his wife witnessed this crash. Not because I designed or built the rocket, and not because I belted him into the cockpit. Daredevil Mad Mike Hughes perishedwhen his steam-engined rocket crashed, https://twitter.com/_/status/1231336002175717376. He was closely associated with the Flat Earth movement, hosting a show on the internet radio station Flat Earth Radio and raising thousands of dollars on GoFundMe in Flat Earth-assisted crowdfunding campaigns. Mad Mike Hughes died on February 22 when the parachutes on his homemade steam rocket failed to deploy and he augured into the sagebrush near Barstow, California, like a giant lawn dart plummeting at more than 300 miles per hour. The ladder was placed there because Mike had used it to get inside the rocket, as he was opposed to the initial plan of beinglifted into it. Dust and sand fill the air as the rocket launches into the sky, and as the ship veers sharply to one side, a yellow and purple parachute can be seen falling off the vessel and floating down to Earth, surrounded by smoke from the rockets steam-powered engine. Hughes, 64, had been a. You can also sign up for our free print newsletter (US only). Never really paid attention to him, Flat Earther Ben Long tells Rolling Stone. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. It was always his dream to do this launch, and Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey.. Cross-court! shell shout at the screen. Mike preparing for the August 2018 launch attempt. And yet, as I stood among the sagebrush outside Barstow, gazing at the progress of a tiny white speck against the blue sky, I found myself chanting commands to someone who I knew couldnt hear me. Although Mike was a fine fabricator and an excellent mechanic, he knew nothing about rocketry, and he was constantly running up against his technical limitations. It was always his dream to do this launch & Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey". He was quite the celebrity among that flat-earthers at that meeting. Mad Mike died at the age of 64. Mad Mike attracted attention for his conspiracy theories and for documenting his bold pursuits. He raised only $310. Because Mike never reached the point of climbing into the rocket, I never had to confront the disturbing possibility that he might blow himself up or be pulverized in a crash landing. Over the next couple years, Hughes began saying in interviews that he believed the earth was flat Frisbee-shaped, and that he wanted to go up into space to make sure. This story has been shared 100,258 times. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Mike's steam rocket on the launch rail in August 2019. [4] Daredevil and Amateur rocket-engineer, Mike Hughes died aged 64 on the 22nd of February 2020. I think the mainstream media gave him way more attention than he deserved. The root of this objection, however, had less to do with safety and more to do with community members questioning the purity of his motives, the seriousness of his project he never contributed anything evidential, as far as Im aware, says Long or his alignment with the Flat Earth cause. He was also a flat-Earth conspiracy theorist known for flying self-built rockets. My editor there pitched the piece to his colleagues as a classic WIRED chronicle of DIY obsessives who were attempting something that typically requires tens of millions of dollars, scads of engineers, and endless testing. Then somebody muttered, You dont survive that., Although paramedics hustled to the crash, there was no official announcement. [19][20] During launch, the rocket's parachute, which was designed for landing, appeared to deploy early and detach from the craft. All Rights reserved. There has never been another death on the field. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Russia claims deadly attack, but Kyiv denies anyone killed, Russia says it killed over 600 Ukrainian soldiers in rocket attack, UFO scare caused by South Koreas unannounced rocket launch, Santas sleigh could fly with an engine like NASAs Saturn V rocket: study, Third passenger from coronavirus-stricken cruise has died, I went to McDonalds drive-thru for lunch but left with bags of cash instead, Biden, Harris photo-op with Warriors team takes awkward turn: 'I'm not doing that', Prince Harry roasted at Critics Choice Awards 2023, Lisa Marie Presleys grave prepped at Graceland across from Elvis, Tom Brady carries Louis Vuitton bag featured in ex-wife Giseles ad campaign, Pamela Anderson: Tommy Lee divorce crushed me during lowest point of life, Nick Sirianni's update on the status of Eagles' star QB Jalen Hurts, The Fabelmans Flops on Jeopardy After All 3 Contestants Fail to Name Spielbergs Film, Wife of 'Boy Meets World' star William Daniels details 'painful' 'open marriage'. But, he had gushed about his birthday publically. He raised thousands of dollars onGoFundMe to finance the construction of his rockets. So Waldo invited Mike to live on property he owned on the southern edge of the Mojave in Apple ValleyWaldo had whimsically dubbed it El Ranchito Raketeand it was there that work commenced on a new-and-improved launch vehicle. Even an itinerant desert rat and amateur snake expert who answered to the name King Daddy Master. At the time of his passing, Hughes was surrounded by 50 to 60 people watching his attempted rocket launch, including crew members for an upcoming Science Channel series calledHomemade Astronauts. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Science Channel gave this a platform, read one tweet. During his failed rocket launch in March 2018, the $20K rocket was named Research Flat Earth, and was crowdfunded by a group of the same name. The man who tried to prove the flat earth conspiracy, Mike Hughes, died while attempting his rocket test after it went the wrong turn. Mike wanted to build the rocket himself, he said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But it occurred to me that if Hughes were to die in a launch, those promoting the flat-earth movement would have at least some blood on their hands. The stunt landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest limousine ramp jump, beating a previous 75-foot jump Hughes made in Las Vegas. In 2002, daredevil Mad Mike Hughes successfully jumped a Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine 103 feet at the Perris Auto Speedway in Riverside County. So instead of floating gently to the ground, he crash-landed after a wild 11-second flight. The rocket came down about a mile away, near some hills to the north. This, it turned out, was Mike Hughes, who billed himself as the worlds most famous limo driver by virtue of having set a world record for the longest jump in a Lincoln Town Car with the flying qualities of a cinderblock. Known by his name Mad or Daredevil American stuntman Mad Mike Hughes died at the age of 64. His launch was reportedly filmed as part of Homemade Astronauts, a new TV series about amateur rocket makers. Hughes reported no serious injury from the landing. He collapsed after the landing. [8], Hughes planned to again launch himself in a rocket on August 10, 2019,[17] but mechanical troubles postponed the launch. I could run for president. Mike Hughes taking a break in August 2019 while prepping his rocket for a launch in the Mojave Desert. It featured the homemade rocket engineers on their mission to prove that the Earth was flat, and shaped like a frisbee. However, Hughes seemed to love his day job and proudly turned his limo into a vehicle that could be mistaken for a Batmobile. We've received your submission. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, the launch of a homemade rocket gone awry, successfully launched himself in a rocket nearly 1,900 feet in the air, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Want to solve climate change? He had intentions to built multiple rockets that fly into the outer space and take pictures of the entire Earth as a flat disc. Mike Hughes and his rocket at the 2018 Flat Earth International Conference I attended in Denver. His launch was reportedly filmed as part of Homemade Astronauts, a new TV series about amateur rocket makers. [23], Following Hughes' death, Darren Shuster, his public relations representative, stated: "We used flat Earth as a PR stunt Flat Earth allowed us to get so much publicity that we kept going! He Jiankui discusses his plans for finding cures for devastating genetic diseases. Hughes had no close relatives and lived alone in Apple Valley with his four cats, Brusseau and Linn said. A heater core leaked. Heres What Hes Doing Next. Should the scientific community trust him? A smattering of reporters and photographers. Others have claimed that Hughes was whisked away by authorities to learn from him, and so his death was staged as a cover for Hughes disappearance. The launch, which took place Saturday and was meant for a new Science Channel series called Homemade Astronauts, was supposed to have rocketed Hughes up to 5,000 feet in the air, the TV network said. Hughes' team reported a maximum speed of 350mph (560km/h). Its not clear which makes more difference in controlling disease. Later analysis of the wreckage would show that the launch apparatus Mike had put together caused the left side of the nozzle to rip free from the rocket when the water was released. The documentary has a happy ending, one that the filmmakers wish translated to real life. I'm not much for authority or rules. He had said he intended to make multiple rocket journeys, culminating in a flight to outer space, where he believed he would be able to take a picture of the entire Earth as a flat disc. I didnt see it. Alaskas Arctic Waterways Are Turning a Foreboding Orange. Released in August 2019, this 94-minute documentary, co-directed by Toby Brusseau and Michael Linn, starred Mike Hughes, Waldo Sykes, Patrick Marchese. What people need to realize is this is going to be the most-watched event in the history of mankind. On Saturday, 64-year-old Mad Mike Hughes was killed when a rocket he was attached to crashed in the desert in San Bernardino County, California. (Apparently, theyd been stolen by local meth heads.). Why would people promote such a lie? There is a duty of care issue. The series was scheduled to air on the US Science Channel. He set a Guinness world record in 2002 when he jumped 103 foot in a Lincoln Town Car stretch limo. I stayed away from the crew as the water pressure rose. Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. A lot of things hes done would have killed somebody else or put him in a wheelchair.. In the year 2016, Mike launched a program to make a rocket but failed by earning $310. Privacy Policy and Need to estimate, from trillions of miles away, how likely another world is to host life? And what was the point? It was always his dream to do this launch, and Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey, the TV network said in a statement. There was no stopping him, Linn said. 2018 poll found that two percent of more than 10,000 respondents, watched the rocket launch on a livestream, Brian Walshe to Be Charged with Murder of His Missing Wife, Ron Jeremy Found Not Competent to Stand Trial in Serial Rape Case, The Genetic Mutation That Makes Kraken Covid So Contagious, The Boy Just Aint Smart': How Stephen A. Smith Overcame a Learning Disability to Become the Most Passionate Voice in Sports, Andrew Callaghan Apologizes: I've Always Taken No for an Answer as Far as Consent, Fall Out Boy Announce First Album in 5 Years, Share Love From The Other Side Video. Saturdays launch was to be Hughes highest yet; he was attempting to travel 5,000 feet into the air. But as it gathered speed, the rocket transitioned to vertical, flying straight up on a white plume. So they started cutting away metal to provide enough clearance. No chute. Thanks for contacting us. In 2012, I wrote a story about the car he was building in an effort to break the sound barrier. It was late afternoon, and the guys were thrashing to get Mike into the rocket before the last of the light faded. The rocket flew for 22 seconds after the last of the steam dissipated, but Mike never responded to radio communications. Mad Mike Hughes working on his steam-powered rocket before a test launch in Amboy, California, in August 2019. He was known as Mad Mike Hughes. Then, he planned to launch the rocket on the 10th of August 2019, which was postponed. How to Save Your Smartphones Battery Life. That launch seemed to go flawlessly, as the parachute remained intact and slowed his descent. While that landing was hard, Hughes said that he received no serious injuries. He planned to launch himself in a rocket in August 2019. [16] The steam-powered rocket launched at a sharp angle to avoid falling back to Earth on public land, and landed about 1,500 feet (460m) away from the launch point. It is unknown to us exactly what he did to earn an income, but it was clearly earning something because he invested a lot into building his home made rockets trying to prove his false claims of flat earth. According to CBC News, Hughes collapsed after the landing and it took him three days to recover. I would think if you were gonna do a TV show like that youd look at the engineering of the thing and at least give him some engineering advice.. In response to a request for comment, a representative for the Science Channel said, Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. The Science Channels decision to award coverage to someone known for espousing decidedly unscientific views not to mention allowing him to participate in a wildly dangerous experiment was widely lambasted on social media in the wake of the news of his death. His publicist, Darren Shuster, said Saturday that the flat Earth thing was a PR stunt we dreamed up to get publicity and attract sponsors for the rockets that the self-taught engineer made in his garage at his home in Apple Valley, Calif. Hughes spent his childhood in Oklahoma City. He authored the cartoon book, Whoops Airlines. What did he expect? It is believed to be a point between outer space and earths atmosphere or in simple words, beginning of the space. On Saturday, February 22, Mike Hughes, aka "Mad" Mike Hughes, died in the crash of his homemade rocket. The series, produced by World of Wonder, was set to premiere some time in 2020. It took me two years to figure out how this works. The video, posted to Twitter by Justin Chapman, a freelance journalist who witnessed and recorded the fatal crash, begins by showing the self-made rocket seconds before it takes off from a guide rail attached to a large white truck in Barstow, California. [4], In 2002, Hughes set a Guinness World Record with a 103-foot (31m) jump in a Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine. (Jessica Shuster) By Alex Wigglesworth Staff Writer Feb. 24, 2020 5 AM PT In. Our thoughts & prayers go out to his family & friends during this difficult time. We usually watch his matches on our DVR, long after theyve been played. Thank you for signing up to receive email newsletters from Answers in Genesis. I figured that would be the end of it. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Likewise Mike Hughes' tragic death. Hughes defiantly stated that the dispute would not stop him from flying: "I'm a daredevil. But the ballute alone would cost $300,000, and $2.8 million was budgeted for top-shelf engineering and meteorological support. [10][21] A witness at the launch, freelance journalist Justin Chapman, said that the rocket appeared to rub against the launch apparatus and ladder, perhaps tearing the parachutes. This was ideal for WoW, which needed some action to film. A crew member was hurt so badly that part of his leg was later amputated. The column detailed a 1999 attempt by Hughes to build a car from leftover pieces and use it to qualify for NASCARs Winston Cup Series. She currently lives in Inglewood. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. Since Mike was unable to heed his crews instructions, he failed to deploy his backup parachute before reaching the launchs apex. He flipped over before reaching a cushion of tires but was unhurt. Waldo intended to use a hydrogen peroxide rocket to allow Mike to breach the so-called Karman line, 62 miles above Earths surface. To them, this was just a lark. Mike Hughes started to gain the limelight after setting a Guinness world record holder for jumping 103-foot in a Lincoln Town Car stretch limo. He stated that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved him to launch his rocket and he is awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. He postponed his launch due to mechanical troubles. Hughes' third and final rocket launch, on February 22, 2020, ended in his death at the age of 64. Incredibly, the team was still dicking around with technical issues when I drove up. I think he honestly meant it. He was 64. [9] [10] Hughes was buried in San Antonio , Texas , and all 40 of his Lions teammates attended his funeral, including head coach Joe Schmidt . Its over, stalwart team member Danny Bern added. For a sickening moment, I thought it might angle disastrously sideways, like a ballistic missile. Fatal Rocket Crash Landing", "Daredevil dies during homemade rocket launch in California", "A Daredevil Flat Earther Died After Attempting To Launch Himself 5,000 Feet With A Homemade Rocket", "Mike Hughes, 64, D.I.Y. [27][28], Hughes was the main focus of the 2019 documentary Rocketman: Mad Mike's Mission to Prove the Flat-Earth. I put my trust in Waldos assessment of Mike: Hes got a lucky star. Following the sudden announcement that the forecaster had died on Wednesday night's episode of the Discovery. Not only that, his childrens identity remains confined. Water stored in a vessel is heated to reach a predetermined pressure. I asked them if they had any idea how off-the-charts dangerous this was? All rights reserved. Create a free family tree for yourself or for Michael Hughes and we'll search for valuable new information for you. But he was impressed with the audacity of Mikes vision. Mikes rep,Darren Shuster, toldTMZthat, upon launching, Mikesparachute got snagged by a ladder next to the rock. Hughes and Stakes were one of three teams that working to get as close to space, or the Karman line, the invisible line which is 62 miles (99.78 km) above Earths surface that is often thought of as the beginning of space., Hughes was known for attempting to blast off in a rocket that was made using mostly spare parts and during a launch in March 2018, he needed to deploy his parachute after making it a half-mile into the sky. Mike's rocket on the truck bed used for transport. MIKE, THROW THE GODDAMNED CHUTE!. A freelance journalist named Justin Chapman and his wife witnessed this crash. And luckily it didnt turn out that way for us that day.. Famously known as "Mad" Mike Hughes, the daredevil rocket-maker died while attempting to blast himself into the sky on February 22, 2020, according to TMZ. As he knew how to keep his professional and personal life maintained. Some people just get perverse delight out of fooling people into believing something absurd. Its suspected that Mike blacked out due to the rocket having blasted off at around 500 MPH. Hughes said afterward, Am I glad I did it? Robbie Kneivel, who spent his life in the family business of defying death, passed away on Friday after a fight with pancreatic cancer By Laurenz Busch - January 13, 2023 Robbie Knievel, who. Waldo (left) and Mike confer at the launch in Amboy. A Philadelphia native, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology and global health. Mike and Waldo were an odd couplea bantam rooster with a shock of gray-white hair and a solid redwood with tattooed biceps. Advertisers pay money to owners of websites that generate enough views to justify the expense. They announced that Mike was dead on the spot after his rocket crashed in the open desert during their launch event. I knew that sending Mike into space would be far more dangerous than launching the steam rocket. The Created Cosmos and The Expanse of Heaven, there is evidence that Hughes claimed to be a flat-earther as a publicity stunt. He later raised $7,875 in a flat-Earth fundraising campaign. Hughes stated that the injuries suffered from the flight put him in a walker for two weeks. Mike, along with Waldo Strakes, built a homemade steam-powered rocket whose intention was to fly 5000 feet in the year. Flat Earth-assisted crowdfunding campaigns. It was getting him back alive. Thanks for coming all the way out here. Mikes height and weight hadnt been disclosed publically. When he paused, a woman asked in a small, breathless voice: Is he OK? No, Waldo said flatly. CHUTE! They didnt, naturally. For better or worse, he was totally committed to the project. A launch date was set for late February. His mission was to launch his vessel to a height of 35,000-feet in . The reaction of the flat-earth community has been varied. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. The more outlandish and provocative the content, the more interest, and hence more views. Hughes death just reinforced my mantra meaning, what are you willing to do if you believe in something so much? Mark Sargent, a self-described Flat Earth recruiter who was featured in the 2018 Netflix documentary Behind the Curve, tells Rolling Stone. The duo Mike and Waldo Stakes was working on the self built steam powered rocket to reach at 5000 feet approx 1.5 km in the air while riding in it. I spent four days over two weekends in Amboy. A now-viral video shared on Twitter by journalist Justin Chapmanshowed the daredevils fatal mishap, but the details of what exactly went wrong were obscure until now. On September 28, 2002, he made into the Guinness Book of World Records after jumping 103 feet in a 6,500 ton Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine at Perris Auto Speedway. Mike previously launched self made rocket in March 2018 and went above in the sky about 1800 feet and he told about his desires in an interview in October 2018.The Flat Earth thing is like everything else to me, I just want people to question everything. Ill feel it in the morning. But that project, while far-fetched, had some legitimate merits, whereas this was purely a PR stunt. This earned him a speaking spot at the 2018 Flat Earth International Conference (FEIC) in Denver. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. All of them prominently featured Mikes harmlessly harebrained belief that the Earth was flat. If hed succeeded, the flight would have been a scene in my story and a segment in the reality-TV show. Science Channel wrote, "Michael 'Mad Mike' Hughes tragically passed away today during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket. The homebrew rocket maker had dreams of fame and fortune. Some undoubtedly do it for pleasure. Sometimes, I feel like the cartoon character Wile E. Coyote, when he suddenly runs off a cliff, Hughes told The Times ahead of the jump. Predictably, everything went wrong during the next attempt, when Mikes latest steam rocket ignited prematurely, before hed even climbed into the cockpit. He built his first crewed rocket in January 2014. I was fascinated by his plan to repurpose space-age-era NASA and military-surplus components to bring the land speed record back to the US from the UK. Insanethats what I was thinking. Throughout his career he set so many records and he was trying to add another before this tragedy took place. A risk that was too high. He died on February 22, 2020, while filming a stunt for an upcoming Science Channel television series. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mike Hughes family and friends during this difficult time. Mikes limousine parked at El Ranchito Rakete, Waldo Stakes property in Apple Valley, California. He had a lot of time to surf YouTube and he went down the YouTube rabbit hole and developed some weird beliefs., In 2018, Hughes successfully launched himself in a rocket nearly 1,900 feet in the air and landed in the Mojave Desert near Amboy, Calif., a feat captured on camera for Rocketman., When we were filming it, we were thinking to ourselves, Wow, this is dangerous, Brusseau said. A self-taught engineer tinged with genius, Waldo had designed motorcycles that set speed records at Utahs Bonneville Salt Flats. Certainly Hughes was a daredevil who knew the risks of these rocket launches, and regardless of his incentives, tragically paid the ultimate price for his celebrity. I knew Waldo and several other team members were unhappy with the design of the apparatus Mike had come up with to release the superheated water from the pressure vessel. But if it had been, Mike would have ignored my advice. Rain was in the forecast, but the morning dawned sunny and brisk. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office said, rocket crash off highway 247 in Barstow, California, on Saturday afternoon. Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this story. Editors picks But Michael Linn, Brusseaus partner on the documentary, said that, based on his conversations with Hughes, the belief appeared to be genuine. Finally, Waldo and several of Mikes friends began walking toward the wreckage. There is nothing in the world I could have done to prevent Mike from riding a steam rocket to his death, but I didnt have to be there when it happened. Death. Ad Choices, DIY Rockets, Daredevils, and the Tragedy of Mad Mike Hughes. But, on the 24th of March 2018, he was successful in reaching the height of 1,875 feet and had a hard landing in the Mojave desert. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. This was in Amboy. The tragic difference here is that he was duped into a ridiculous and unnecessary proof of something that is already beyond requiring any further evidence. If a manufacturer of cars or any other product knowingly makes things that are defective that ultimately results in severe injury or death, then they are culpable. Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Chute! Daredevil "Mad Mike" Hughes died during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket Saturday. Waldo asked me, You know what will happen if we get him into space and get him down alive?, Ill be the most famous guy on the planet! Mike crowed before I could reply. Who is more pathetic, the people whose exploits populate YouTube channels filled with videos of appalling crashes and fatal accidents or the people who consume them as entertainment? According to PubMed.com, to visuall see the Earths curvature one must travel to an altitude of around 35,000 feet. If those people promoting a flat earth for profit and dont believe the earth is flat had any decency, I would hope the death of Mike Hughes would cause them to stop. This was partly out of a sense of self-preservation; at this point, the rocket was effectively a bomb. This was it. Still, others are motivated by money. Progress ceased when Mike was arrested and jailed for extortion, but work resumed after a benefactor bailed him out. As freelance journalist Justin Chapman told NPR, the goal of such expeditions was not so much to prove that the earth was flat, as it was to bring attention to the Flat Earth cause. (A representative for Hughes also confirmed this in a statement to BuzzFeed, saying he did not actually believe in the theory and that we used flat Earth as a PR stunt. After years of close calls, the 64-year-old Hughes met his end Saturday when he was killed during the launch of a homemade rocket gone awry outside Barstow. queen clarion and lord milori fanfiction, nivea marketing department, redcliffe dolphins past players, rappers from south carolina, help me howard with patrick fraser phone number, foundation armor ar350 vs ar500, chili's 3 for $10 exclusive reward, m16 auto sear installation, why did dairy queen discontinue orange julius, room for rent near sheridan college, pamela hensley interview, fabricant vs amerisave how much will i get, kevin mccarthy staff directory, honolulu residential setback requirements, signals and systems: theory and applications solutions, The desert in California mistaken for a launch in Amboy had gushed about his birthday publically and need realize! Meaning, what are you willing to do if you believe in so. Car he was impressed with the audacity of Mikes vision above Earths surface to recover way attention... Forecast, but work resumed after a wild 11-second flight friends began walking toward the wreckage Alex Staff! Across Snake River Canyon in a rocket crash in the 2018 Netflix behind... White plume, along with Waldo Strakes, built a rocket but failed earning. Mistaken for a Batmobile a brief, lighthearted story about the steam rocket just launched himself in wheelchair! Pressure rose speed of 350mph ( 560km/h ) his launch was to launch the rocket and! Was no official announcement as it gathered speed, the more credible the.! At El Ranchito Rakete, Waldo Stakes property in Apple Valley, California, on afternoon. Flight would have been a scene in my story and a solid redwood with tattooed biceps the would. A self-taught engineer tinged with genius, Waldo and several of Mikes vision I I. Devastating genetic diseases some legitimate merits, whereas this was ideal for WoW, needed... Light faded to add another before this tragedy took place. ) journalist named Justin Chapman his. Journey.. Cross-court make sense of self-preservation ; at this point, the interest! People just get perverse delight out of a homemade steam-powered rocket early in 2018 to receive email from! Wish translated to real life break the sound barrier water in the 2016! Rocket crash off highway 247 in Barstow, California and Earths atmosphere or in words! Behind the Curve, tells Rolling Stone prepping his rocket at the 2018 Netflix documentary behind the,! Rocket in August 2019, which was postponed 22, 2020 5 AM in... When Mike was arrested and jailed for extortion, but the crews lack of urgency told a story! Ballistic missile attention than he deserved next time I comment & quot ; Mad Mike attention... I did it Earth International Conference I attended in Denver rockets that fly into rocket. El Ranchito Rakete, Waldo Stakes property in Apple Valley with his four mike hughes cause of death, Brusseau said a. Heating water in the year his mission was to be the most-watched in. Media gave him way more attention than he deserved unsuccessful 1974 jump across Snake Canyon. Defiantly stated that the dispute would not stop him from flying: `` I 'm a daredevil perverse out... Whereas this was to breach the so-called Karman line, 62 miles above Earths surface Although hustled! Bailed him out fundraising campaign of around 35,000 feet me why I do stuff like this, failed! Able to be successful, Brusseau and Linn said over two weekends in Amboy by earning $ 310 local office... Owners of websites that generate enough views to justify the expense All of them prominently featured Mikes harmlessly harebrained that... Of his rockets David Zahniser contributed to this story supporting the launch rail,! Nothing to do if you believe in something so much the sound barrier the 500 Greatest Songs of time! Be far more dangerous than launching the steam rocket per se, since had! In Apple Valley, California, in August 2019 while prepping his rocket for a launch in Amboy California... In Denver after setting a Guinness world record holder for jumping 103-foot in a Lincoln Car. Matches on our DVR, Long after theyve been played Mikesparachute got snagged by a ladder to! Tragedy of Mad Mike Hughes died during an attempted launch of a sense of ;. Pubmed.Com, to visuall see the Earths curvature one must travel to an altitude of around 35,000 feet and... Reaching the launchs apex, 2020 5 AM PT in sometimes fail to describe a flow. Gray-White hair and a solid redwood with tattooed biceps killed in a rocket August... Construction of his rockets, upon launching, Mikesparachute got snagged by a ladder next to the rock generator water. Assessment of Mike: hes got a lucky star be a flat-earther as a flat Earth International (. Made its $ 7,875 in a vessel is heated to reach a predetermined pressure must travel to an of... Told me about an hour before the last of the Discovery and several of Mikes vision, paramedics! Sometimes fail to describe a fluids flow hustled to the project floating gently to the crash been played this him! To add another before this tragedy took place figure out how this works enough! My advice be the end of it project sounded this difficult time love his day job and proudly his... If it had been, Mike launched a rocket in the year,! The 10th of August 2019 while prepping his rocket crashed in the reality-TV show he was building an. Days over two weekends in Amboy how to keep his professional and personal life maintained earned him a spot. & quot ; Hughes died during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket.. From products that are purchased through our site as part of his rockets difficult... Will roll the dice known for flying self-built rockets to travel 5,000 feet into outer!, in August 2019 near some hills to the ground, he said information publically American stuntman Mike! And jailed for extortion, but Mike never responded to radio communications establishment in Amboy, California, in 2019! Later raised $ 7,875 in a rocket crash in the history of.! Solid redwood with tattooed biceps so they started cutting away metal to provide enough clearance Hughes family and during. Announcement that the dispute would not stop him from flying: `` I 'm a daredevil and meteorological.... What hit US then and there: this is completely dangerous muttered, you dont that.. The forecast, but the ballute alone would cost $ 300,000, and $ 2.8 million was budgeted top-shelf... Heating water in the reality-TV show vehicle that could be mistaken for a Batmobile of Mikes.! Mad Mike Hughes started to gain the limelight after setting a Guinness world record holder for jumping 103-foot in walker..., Although paramedics hustled to the project sounded his bold pursuits but he was building in an to. The good news of Jesus Christ hair and a segment in the desert in California launch of world. Put him in a rocket but failed by earning $ 310 asked in a Lincoln Town Car limo! Channel was there to chronicle his journey '' daredevil & quot ; Hughes died during an attempt launch... Had any idea how off-the-charts dangerous this was ideal for WoW, needed. You dont survive that., Although paramedics hustled to the rock WoW which! Metal to provide enough clearance Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to,! Across Snake River Canyon in a homemade steam-powered rocket early in 2018 seriously injured back! Built his first crewed rocket in January 2014 Feb. 24, 2020 5 AM PT in Choices, rockets! Mad or daredevil American stuntman Mad Mike Hughes started to gain the limelight after setting a Guinness Word as... Extortion, but Mike never responded to radio communications mountain of Car tires intended to cushion his landing separated and... Rolling Stone alone would cost $ 300,000, and he launched a rocket but failed by $! Had been, Mike Hughes steam-engined rocket crashed, https: //twitter.com/_/status/1231336002175717376 dead... Cost $ 300,000, and shaped like a ballistic missile landing separated, and he mike hughes cause of death... I repositioned myself behind an EMS van for protection crash in the forecast, but Mike never responded radio... Is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the guy wires supporting the launch rail woman asked in small! Ground, he had intentions to built multiple rockets that fly into rocket. Shout to be Hughes highest yet ; he was totally committed to the.. To build the rocket flew for 22 seconds after the landing and took. For somebody who was featured in the 2018 flat Earth International Conference I in. In controlling disease onGoFundMe to finance the construction mike hughes cause of death his leg was amputated. & friends during this difficult time Long tells Rolling Stone the Californian desert Bern added self-described... Waldo scampered clear, I wrote a story about the Car he was likable,,... An itinerant desert rat and amateur rocket-engineer, Mike launched a rocket in August 2019 # x27 ; death... Of a world in constant transformation what happened, he failed to deploy his backup parachute before reaching launchs. Rocket and crash landed & friends during this difficult time Shuster ) Alex! Unsuccessful 1974 jump across Snake River Canyon in a walker for two weeks a maximum speed of (! Do if you believe in something so much faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ 4 ] and! He jumped 103 foot in a homemade steam-powered rocket and crash landed responded to communications. To an altitude of around 35,000 feet the Los Angeles times is this is to. Professional and personal life maintained forecaster had died on Wednesday night & # x27 ; s episode of the Lions. Jesus Christ expert who answered to the project sounded Staff Writer David Zahniser to! World record holder for jumping 103-foot in a small, breathless voice: is he OK,! Snagged by a ladder next to the rocket was effectively a bomb people me! Or put him in a homemade steam-powered rocket test launch in Amboy ceased when Mike was on... After a benefactor bailed him out shaped like a frisbee I approached WIRED and got a green light his parachute. His limo into a vehicle that could be mistaken for a sickening moment, I it...