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. Waldo told me a generator was down on power. Help us share the truth of Gods Word and the gospel! A representative of Mad Mike has explained what went wrong during the daredevils fatal rocket launch last month. mike hughes cause of death I remember speaking up only once. 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. 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. Chapmans unfortunate footage captures the first parachute disconnecting shortlyafter the rocket began its ascent and then freefalling. He raised only $310. 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. Mike was born in the Hughes family and possessed a white ethnical background. And Ill always regret it. 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. There is a duty of care issue. I dont want to take anyone elses word for it, he said after a March 2018 launch in the Mojave Desert in which he shot his homemade rocket over 1,800 feet into the sky, I dont know if the world is flat or round.. Related Mad Mike died at the age of 64. 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. 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. I figured that would be the end of it. CHUTE! Mad Mike Hughes working on his steam-powered rocket before a test launch in Amboy, California, in August 2019. "[5] A fundraising campaign to cover the costs of the delay raised around $100 of its $10,000 goal. But the crews lack of urgency told a different story. I knew that the previous three launches had only barely avoided catastrophe. Thank you for signing up to receive email newsletters from Answers in Genesis. In 2017, Mike and Waldo trucked a new rocket deep into the Mojave Desert to a barren stretch of land near the tiny Route 66 outpost of Amboy. Mike, along with Waldo Strakes, built a homemade steam-powered rocket whose intention was to fly 5000 feet in the year. Trying to set a land speed record or breaking the sound barrier struck me as goals worth aspiring to. Please refresh the page and try again. Not only that, he was a Guinness world record holder for jumping 103-foot in a Lincoln Town Car stretch limo. A steam rocket is a relatively straightforward device. Eventually, he successfully raised the $7,875 fund from the campaign. I didnt care about the steam rocket per se, since it had nothing to do with the space project. After he shared his belief of a flat earth, he gained support from the Flat-Earth community. A launch date was set for late February. Mike's flight suit hung alongside a render of the space vehicle he and Waldo were planning to build. Daredevil Flat Earther 'Mad Mike' Hughes Dies When Self-Made Rocket Crashes He authored the cartoon book, Whoops Airlines. Waldo Stakes at the August 2019 launch in Amboy, California. Well, of course he got killed. 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. A self-taught engineer tinged with genius, Waldo had designed motorcycles that set speed records at Utahs Bonneville Salt Flats. It was horrible, he says. So they started cutting away metal to provide enough clearance. Finally, Waldo and several of Mikes friends began walking toward the wreckage. The sun was unrelenting, with temperatures often exceeding 110 degrees. He was an American limo driver and daredevil who gained the limelight for flying in self-built rockets. Waldo (left) and Mike confer at the launch in Amboy. A smattering of reporters and photographers. Nevertheless, Mike Hughess funeral hasnt been revealed yet. Mad Mike died at the age of 64. Mike would have been just as dead if hed been killed trying to fly to space. The reaction of the flat-earth community has been varied. I didnt see it. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries. But Michael Linn, Brusseaus partner on the documentary, said that, based on his conversations with Hughes, the belief appeared to be genuine. Hughes' team reported a maximum speed of 350mph (560km/h). MIKE, THROW THE GODDAMNED CHUTE!. RIP Mike Hughes This story has been shared 100,258 times. Predictably, everything went wrong during the next attempt, when Mikes latest steam rocket ignited prematurely, before hed even climbed into the cockpit. To be sure, Mike was a conspiracy theorist par excellence. Who makes jury-rig fixes at the eleventh hour when somebodys life is on the line? Ad Choices, DIY Rockets, Daredevils, and the Tragedy of Mad Mike Hughes. There was no stopping him, Linn said. But who cared if somebody whod christened himself Mad Mike went 2,000 or 4,000 feet high in a homemade rocket that was just as likely to kill him as it was to get off the launch pad? That is nonsense. Hughes' third and final rocket launch, on February 22, 2020, ended in his death at the age of 64. I also wondered if Hughes was serious about the earth being flat; assuming he was, I thought about the implications of his death when it came. [8], At the time of his death, Hughes lived in Apple Valley, California. Michael passed away of cause of death on month day 2008, at age 75 at death place, Florida. He was treated for heat exhaustion. But Mike wanted to fly higher, faster, farther. In Vegas, Hughes became both limousine chauffeur and daredevil; he took to referring to himself as the worlds most famous limo driver.. He thought the lunar landing had been a hoax. 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. (Jessica Shuster) By Alex Wigglesworth Staff Writer Feb. 24, 2020 5 AM PT In. In 2002, he had already set a Guinness Word Record as he jumped about 103 foot in at Lincon Car stretch Limo. Science Channel wrote, "Michael 'Mad Mike' Hughes tragically passed away today during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket. On February 3, 2018, Hughes live-streamed another attempted launch, but the rocket steam release malfunctioned and the launch was aborted. Just a slender projectile hurtling silently to the ground. Im sure that many other flat-earthers will continue to revere Hughes as one of their own as they mourn his death. It was always his dream to do this launch & Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey". [4], In 2002, Hughes set a Guinness World Record with a 103-foot (31m) jump in a Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine. [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. Also, after a visual inspection, other members of the crew were convinced that the rocket was going to clip the frame of the launch rig on the way up. 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. Similarly, those who promote the flat-earth movement (primarily on the internet), particularly such stunts, bear some responsibility for Hughes death. As of 2020, Mikes net worth was estimated at $500 thousand. Id met Mike before, but this was my first extended conversation with him. 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. I passed by the display of his rocket several times, hoping to speak to him, but he was always busy talking to other people, so I never got the chance. Mad Mike attracted attention for his conspiracy theories and for documenting his bold pursuits. The phenomenon threatens local drinking water, and scientists think climate change may be the culprit. This time around, Mike had generated buzz by claiming that he believed the Earth was flat, and he raised money by spinning the flight as an experiment to prove it. Death. Thats reasonable, Mike said. Hughes stated that the injuries suffered from the flight put him in a walker for two weeks. [5][6][7] He stated during an interview with the Associated Press in 2018 that he had planned to run for Governor of California. But I didnt say anything, just as Id never said anything about the lack of an automatic parachute-deployment system, which seemed like a no-brainer. Have you noticed the many advertisements that pop up when you are surfing the internet? At least I can go home and have dinner and see my cats tonight., A post shared by Rocketman. 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. 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. 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. He shared a video on Twitter and said Mad Mike Hughes just launched himself in a self-made steam-powered rocket and crash landed. Grinning fiercely, Waldo told me, Im going to send this guy into space, and people are going to go, Two fucking hillbillies living in Apple Valley built a spaceship, promoted it themselves, hooked it to a balloon, and launched him into space.. 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. Heres a timeline, Crusading vet treats some of L.A.s most cherished residents: The pets of skid row, The Times podcast: How the California GOP lost its national sway, Veterans claim anti-vet bias in Metros choice of muralist for a new VA station, California faces catastrophic flood dangers and a need to invest billions in protection, Caregiver sentenced to life in prison for unspeakable sexual abuse of disabled children. He was known as Mad Mike Hughes. Its suspected that Mike blacked out due to the rocket having blasted off at around 500 MPH. In numerous interviews, he had stated that the goal of his rocket launches was to prove that the planet was not spherical (as, again, all scientific evidence indicates), but Frisbee-shaped.. For more than 250 years, mathematicians have wondered if the Euler equations might sometimes fail to describe a fluids flow. He died while attempting to his homemade rocket in Amboy, California. Heres what happens on the longest night of the yearin the solar system and across different cultures here on Earth. As he knew how to keep his professional and personal life maintained. His journey was to be featured on Homemade Astronauts, a series on the Science Channel. Known by his name Mad or Daredevil American stuntman Mad Mike Hughes died at the age of 64. Its over, stalwart team member Danny Bern added. That network was the Science Channel, and their cameras were at the fatal launch to record part of a series Homemade Astronauts, in which Hughes would star. Instead, I followed longtime crew member Larry Hayes, who was prowling around behind the launch rail. Originally from Oklahoma City, Hughes started attending car races with his father at 2 months old and began racing motorcycles at the age of 12, according to an author biography for his 2007 self-published book, What Does A Limo Driver Know About NASCAR.. He successfully launched his rocket on 24 March 2018. How to Save Your Smartphones Battery Life. [9] [10] Hughes was buried in San Antonio , Texas , and all 40 of his Lions teammates attended his funeral, including head coach Joe Schmidt . His launch was reportedly filmed as part of Homemade Astronauts, a new TV series about amateur rocket makers. Mike's rocket on the truck bed used for transport. But, of course, his biggest delusion was that there was widespread interest in his antics. He had previously scheduled his launch for 25 November 2017. The project sounded insanely sketchy. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. What did he expect? Far from prompting people to re-examine their own beliefs, if anything Hughes death cemented their commitment to chasing what they believe to be the truth at any cost. I believe the truth is worth taking risks for.. 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. At least I enabled him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mike Hughes family and friends during this difficult time. This was in Amboy. [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. I really appreciate it, Mike told me about an hour before the crash. Although some of the steam went through the nozzle, much of it escaped to the left, propelling the rocket to the right as it came off the launch rail. He died following his rocket crash-landing in the open desert in California on 22 February 2020. Very likely did not survive. Despite the utter lack of evidence surrounding the Flat Earth theory and intense criticism from scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson, the Flat Earth theory has gained traction in recent years (one 2018 poll found that two percent of more than 10,000 respondents harbored such views), and has been promoted by such high-profile figures as Kyrie Irving and musician B.o.B. I shouldn't have been there to witness it. Mike preparing for the August 2018 launch attempt. Privacy Policy and
That belief has circulated among flat-earthers since his appearance at the 2018 FEIC. The rocket launched at a sharp angle to avoid falling back to Earth on public land. 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. He built his first manned rocket in 2014 a contraption he called the X-2 SkyLimo and managed to launch himself more than 1,300 feet over Winkelman, Ariz., he told the Associated Press. It was always his dream to do this launch, and Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey. They did not respond to a follow-up question regarding the ethics of chronicling said journey, given the major risks involved and the unscientific nature of Flat Earth conspiracy theories. The camera quickly pans down to the drifting parachute and then back up to the rocket and follows the doomed craft until it crashes into the California desert while spectators who were watching the event scream. (@thisisrocketman). I didnt join them. According to a journal published in. (single, married, in relation or divorce). His birth name was Michael Hughes. It took me two years to figure out how this works. Yet, even though were thousands of miles away, and even though most of the matches are several days old, she cant resist giving Federer advice in mid-point. 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. Turns out that a pair of auxiliary chutes had blown off the rocket as it left the launch rail. 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. 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