Daredevil ‘Mad Mike’ Hughes dies while Launching Himself in His Homemade Rocket

Hughes was scheduled to launch his homemade rocket for a new Science Channel series called “Homemade Astronauts.”

Daredevil “Mad Mike” Hughes passed during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket on Feb. 22, 2020.

“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.

According to CNN, Hughes was scheduled to launch his homemade rocket for a new Science Channel series called “Homemade Astronauts,” according to the Discovery Channel website.

The website also added that a steam-powered rocket aimed to launch Hughes 5,000 feet into the air was built by Hughes himself and Waldo Stakes.

Discovery Channel said that Hughes eventually hoped to develop a rocket that would launch him 62 miles in the air to where the Earth’s atmosphere meets outer space.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that Deputies responded to the fatal rocket crash off highway 247 in Barstow, California, on Saturday afternoon. Authorities said a man was pronounced dead after a rocket crashed in the open desert during a launch event but they did not formally identify Hughes. A sheriff’s aviation unit is investigating.

No other injuries were reported.

The following video shows Mad Mike’s fatal rocket flight.

Photo credit: CBS