Jump to content

Mike Hughes (daredevil)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mike Hughes
Hughes in 2019
BornFebruary 9, 1956
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died (aged 64)
Barstow, California, U.S.
Cause of death
Crash of self-built rocket
Other name"Mad" Mike Hughes
OccupationsLimousine driver, stunt performer
Known for
Websitehttps://madmikehughes.com/

Michael Jay Hughes (February 9, 1956 – February 22, 2020), popularly known as "Mad" Mike Hughes, was an American limousine driver, professed flat-Earther, and daredevil known for flying in self-built steam rockets.[1][2] He died while filming a stunt for a Science Channel television series.[3] Although a public promoter of the flat Earth model, following his death his public relations representative said that Hughes had only used flat Earth as a PR stunt to acquire funding for his rockets.

Background

[edit]

Hughes was born and spent his childhood in Oklahoma City. He started racing motorcycles at age 12 and later competed on the AMA Pro Flat Track racing circuit.[4] During the 1980s, he worked as part of a NASCAR pit crew, and he moved to working as a limousine driver in the 1990s.[4]

In 2002, Hughes set a Guinness World Record with a 103-foot (31 m) jump in a Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine.[5][6][7] He stated, during an interview with the Associated Press in 2018, that he had planned to run for Governor of California.[8]

At the time of his death, Hughes had no close relatives, and lived by himself in Apple Valley, California.[9][10]

Rocket launches

[edit]

2014 launch

[edit]

According to the Associated Press, Hughes built his first crewed rocket and on January 30, 2014, flew 1,374 feet (419 m) in just over one minute over Winkelman, Arizona. According to CBC News, Hughes collapsed after the landing and required three days to recover; he stated that the injuries suffered from the flight put him in a walker for two weeks.[11][12] Because there was no footage of Hughes entering the craft, some doubts were raised regarding whether he was on board during the launch.[8] He collaborated with Waldo Stakes to design steam rockets.[13]

Flat-Earth rocket fundraising and launch

[edit]

In 2016, Hughes launched a failed fundraising attempt for a rocket that raised $310.[1][11] After professing his belief in a flat Earth later that year, Hughes gained support within the flat-Earth community. His post-flat-Earth fundraising campaign made its $7,875 goal. He stated that 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 Earth as a flat disc.[1]

In November 2017, Hughes said that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had given him verbal permission to launch his rocket, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. However, a BLM spokesman stated its local field office had no record of speaking to Hughes, and that the agency had reached out to him with concerns after seeing news reports. The rocket launch was postponed from November 25, 2017, to December 2, 2017, due to permit issues.[11] Hughes moved his launch pad 4 miles (6 km) to take off and land on private property, though the BLM maintained he still required permits. Hughes stated that the dispute would not stop him from flying: "I'm a daredevil. I'm not much for authority or rules."[14]

The initial rocket was intended to reach a speed of 500 mph (800 km/h); further rocket trips, intended to launch from a balloon 20 miles (32 km) up, were meant to achieve suborbital spaceflight.[15] Hughes acknowledged the risks, telling the Associated Press: "It's scary as hell. But none of us are getting out of this world alive."[5] Following a malfunction during a live-streamed attempt on February 3, 2018,[16] Hughes completed a launch on March 24, 2018. He reached a height of 1,875 feet (572 m) and made a hard landing in the Mojave Desert.[17] The rocket launched at a sharp angle to avoid landing on public land, and Hughes' team reported a maximum speed of 350 mph (560 km/h). Hughes reported no serious injuries.[8]

Planned 2019 launch

[edit]

Hughes planned to launch himself in a rocket again on August 10, 2019,[18] but mechanical troubles and treatment for heat exhaustion postponed the event.[19]

2020 launch and death

[edit]

On February 22, 2020, Hughes died near Barstow, California, following the crash of a steam-powered rocket he was piloting, which was built by Hughes and Stakes.[20][21] During launch, the rocket's landing parachute deployed early and detached from the craft.[13][22] A witness, freelance journalist Justin Chapman, stated that the rocket appeared to rub against the launch apparatus, which may have torn the parachutes.[23] The event was being filmed for the Science Channel television series Homemade Astronauts, in which Hughes was to star.[24]

Motivation

[edit]

Following Hughes' death, his public relations representative, Darren Shuster, stated: "We used flat Earth as a PR stunt... Flat Earth allowed us to get so much publicity that we kept going! I know he didn’t believe in flat Earth and it was a schtick."[25][9][26] Science writer Mick West also stated that from his conversations with Hughes, "he was not driven by seeking to explain that the earth is flat but rather wanted to use the topic to promote his stuntman career."[27] Conversely, Michael Linn, a partner on the documentary Rocketman: Mad Mike's Mission to Prove the Flat-Earth, said he believed Hughes' statements were genuine.[9]

[edit]

Hughes appeared in the music video for the Death Valley Girls' song "One Less Thing (Before I Die)". The video was directed by Kansas Bowling and featured footage of his rocket launch in Apple Valley.[28][29]

Hughes was the focus of the 2019 documentary Rocketman: Mad Mike's Mission to Prove the Flat-Earth.[30][31] He also appeared in the 2019 mockumentary FLAT EARTH: To The Edge And Back by Logan Paul, and was attempting to sue over his appearance in the film at the time of his death.[32]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 Dwyer, Colin (November 22, 2017). "'I Don't Believe In Science,' Says Flat-Earther Set To Launch Himself In Own Rocket". NPR. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  2. ↑ Graham, Pat (November 20, 2017). "Self-Taught Rocket Scientist Mad Mike Hughes Plans to Launch Over Ghost Town". NBC4 Washington. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  3. ↑ Haworth, Jon (February 23, 2020). "Daredevil dies after homemade rocket crashes in desert while filming TV show". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Chapman, Justin (June 15, 2021). "The Daredevil Who Reached for the Stars". Alta Journal. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Wang, Amy B.; Selk, Avi (November 27, 2017). "A flat-Earther's plan to launch himself in a homemade rocket has been postponed – again". Chicago Tribune. Washington Post. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  6. ↑ Berger, Eric (March 28, 2016). "'Mad' Mike built a rocket so he can jump the Grand Canyon of Texas". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Longest limousine ramp jump". Guinness World Records. September 28, 2002. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 "Flat-Earther's steam-powered rocket lofts him 1,875 feet up into Mojave Desert sky". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 25, 2018. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 Wigglesworth, Alex (February 24, 2020). "Death of rocket man 'Mad Mike' Hughes ends years of close calls". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2024. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  10. ↑ Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith (November 27, 2017). "Flat-Earther 'Mad' Mike Hughes forced to delay launch of homemade rocket". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 Wang, Amy B.; Selk, Avi (November 24, 2017). "A flat-Earther's plan to launch himself in a homemade rocket just hit a speed bump". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Self-taught rocket scientist 'Mad' Mike Hughes blasts off into California sky". CBC. Associated Press. March 25, 2018. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  13. 1 2 "'Mad' Mike Hughes dies after crash-landing homemade rocket". BBC News. February 23, 2020.
  14. ↑ Graham, Pat (November 28, 2017). "Self-taught rocket scientist eyes new launch date in Calif". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  15. ↑ Dow, Mike (December 13, 2017). "'Mad' Mike Hughes – limo driver turned rocket man". The Maine Edge. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  16. ↑ Selk, Avi; Wang, Amy B. (February 6, 2018). "Analysis | A flat-earther finally tried to fly away. His rocket didn't even ignite". Washington Post. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  17. ↑ Giordano, Chiara (March 25, 2018). "Flat-earther blasts off in homemade rocket in bid to reassure himself world is shaped 'like a Frisbee'". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  18. ↑ Mack, Eric (August 9, 2019). "Flat Earth Rocket Man 'Mad' Mike Hughes To Blast Off Again Soon". Forbes. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  19. ↑ Gohd, Chelsea (August 12, 2019). "'Mad' Flat-Earther's Steam Rocket Launch Grounded by Bad Water Heater Bought on Craigslist". Space.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  20. ↑ Silverman, Hollie (February 23, 2020). "Daredevil 'Mad Mike' Hughes dies while attempting to launch a homemade rocket". CNN. Archived from the original on October 20, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  21. ↑ Gohd, Chelsea (February 21, 2020). "'Mad Mike' will try to launch his steam rocket again for 'Homemade Astronauts' TV show". Space.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Daredevil 'Mad' Mike Hughes dead at 64... Fatal Rocket Crash Landing". TMZ. February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Daredevil dies during homemade rocket launch in California". The Guardian. Associated Press. February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  24. ↑ Malik, Tariq (February 22, 2020). "'Mad Mike' Hughes, daredevil who built a homemade steam rocket, dies in launch attempt". Space.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  25. ↑ "A Daredevil Flat Earther Died After Attempting To Launch Himself 5,000 Feet With A Homemade Rocket". BuzzFeed News. 2020. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  26. ↑ Ortiz, Aimee (February 23, 2020). "Mike Hughes, 64, D.I.Y. Daredevil, Is Killed in Rocket Crash". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  27. ↑ West, Mick (May–June 2023). "Into the Lion's Den: Conferences as Skeptical Activism". Skeptical Inquirer: 33.
  28. ↑ Kamp, Justin (October 5, 2018). "Death Valley Girls Share Video for "(One Less Thing) Before I Die"". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Death Valley Girls - "(One Less Thing) Before I Die" Video". Stereogum. October 2, 2018. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  30. ↑ Manus, Tanya (August 11, 2019). "'Rocketman' Makes its Debut Today". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ Manus, Tanya (August 11, 2019). "'Rocketman' Makes its Debut Today". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. p. A3. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ↑ Weill, Kelly (April 12, 2019). "Logan Paul Sued for Flat Earth Mockumentary by 'Mad Mike' Hughes". Retrieved February 4, 2026.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Hughes_(daredevil)&oldid=1363652024"