A 64-year-old daredevil inventor has been killed while trying to prove that the Earth is flat.
Flat-Earther Mike Hughes crash-landed his homemade steam-powered rocket shortly after takeoff in a desert in California on February 22.
The Science Channel, which had been recording the process as a part of the Homemade Astronauts series, confirmed that Hughes had passed away in the crash.
In a statement on Twitter, the Science Channel wrote: “Michael ‘Mad Mike’ Hughes tragically passed away today during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket.
“Our thoughts & prayers go out to his family & friends during this difficult time. It was always his dream to do this launch & Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey.”
Officer Cindy Bachman of San Bernardino County also said: “A man was pronounced deceased after the rocket crashed in the open desert during a rocket launch event.
“Medical aid was staged for the launch and was on scene immediately.”
The clip of the launch was shared on social media. It showed the 64-year-old’s rocket ascending into the air but fell to the ground only a few seconds later.
The flat-earther wanted to fly 5,000ft into the air using his rocket which he made for a whopping $18,000 to prove that the earth is flat.
It was in 2018 when he made headlines after he launched himself around 1,875ft into the air and reached a speed of 350mph before activating his parachute.
“I’m tired of people saying I chickened out and didn’t build a rocket. I’m tired of that stuff. I manned up and did it,” he said at that time.
“Am I glad I did it? Yeah. I guess. I’ll feel it in the morning. I won’t be able to get out of bed. At least I can go home and have dinner and see my cats tonight.”
Months after his stunt in 2018, he told CBS News: “The Flat Earth thing is like everything else to me.
“I just want people to question everything. Question what your congressman is doing, your city council. Question what really happened during the Civil War. What happened during 9/11.”
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