Daredevil killed in rocket launch disaster

Was he a hero or a fool? Mike Hughes, who believed the Earth was flat, died launching a homemade rocket this weekend. Supporters mourn an eccentric daredevil; critics say he was a crackpot. In the vast Californian desert, excitement quickly turned into fear, confusion, and then horror. Spectators watched as an object descended out of control from the sky, finally thudding to the ground and distorting into a terrifying pile of twisted metal. It was extraordinary for all the wrong reasons. He wanted to be the man who changed the world, but the life of daredevil “Mad Mike” Hughes ended in disaster on Saturday when his homemade rocket crashed nose-first into the unforgiving Mojave desert in the US. A well-known believer in the flat Earth theory, Hughes, 64, was aiming to get as close to space as possible so that he could see for himself that the Earth is “shaped like a frisbee”. This final attempt, caught on film as part of a TV show about amateur rocket makers, was not Hughes’s first rocket launch. In 2018, he reached speeds of 350mph in a similar launch that left him on crutches for two weeks. And years before, in 2002, Hughes set the Guinness World Record for the longest airborne jump in a full-sized limousine. He was an extraordinary person who lived a remarkable life. Hughes is far from the only figure to have believed in a widely ridiculed theory. Marie Curie, whose research led to the invention of the X-ray, was spurned and criticised for her ideas. Meteorologist Alfred Wegener, who proposed that the Earth’s continents were once a single landmass was accused of “delirious ravings”. Yet both of them were correct. However, Hughes was undoubtedly wrong about the Earth being flat. Despite this, the number of people who believe in the theory is growing. A 2018 YouGov survey found that one-in-six American adults are not completely sure the world is round. Hughes had many fans, but he was also labelled by many as a “crackpot”. His critics say his death has proved them right. Even so, had he reached space in a homemade rocket, he would probably have been celebrated simply for that. Humanity loves a colourful eccentric. For instance, in 1982, Larry Walters, known as Lawnchair Larry, became in instant celebrity after he took a 45-minute flight (complete with a sandwich and beer) 15,000ft over Los Angeles in a patio chair attached to 45 helium balloons. So, was Mad Mike a hero or a fool? Disaster strikes A hero, of course, say some. Hughes lived a more interesting life than the vast majority of people ever will. He took incredible steps and overcame fear to pursue his goals. Even if he was totally wrong about the Earth being flat, he was not stupid. He was brave, thought for himself, and tested his theories himself. He deserves to be remembered as an inspiration. A fool, say others. Building a rocket in your back garden is obviously a terrible idea. The flat Earth movement is nothing more than a crazy conspiracy theory. To take such risks is irresponsible and dangerous. Hughes was probably mentally ill in some way and should be pitied, not held up as any kind of example. KeywordsMarie Curie - A Polish-French pioneer in the study of radioactivity and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.