- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
Daredevil and Tosh.0 guest “Mad Mike” Hughes died Saturday during an attempt to launch a homemade rocket in Barstow, California. He was 64.
“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,” the Science Channel said in a statement.
Hughes was launching his homemade rocket, which was to be featured on the upcoming Science Channel series Homemade Astronauts. He designed, built and rode in his own rockets.
Video posted online over the weekend shows the most recent rocket breaking up shortly after liftoff, then plunging back to the ground.
Authorities with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.
There were no other injuries reported.
Hughes, who believed the Earth is flat, launched himself a number of times in homemade rockets, hoping to one day reach a distance where he could see for himself, he explained in October 2018 on Comedy Central’s Tosh.0. His interview with host Daniel Tosh on YouTube has more than 2.1 million views.
Watch the segment below.
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day