Flat Earther Launches Rocket

Mike Hughes, one of the most famous living Flat Earthers, had been planning his latest stunt for quite some time. In the spring of 2019, he revealed to me that he was going to build a rocket ship and blast into Earth's upper reaches to prove or disprove his theory about the flatness of the horizon. At the age of 64, Hughes didn't need my advice, but I couldn't help but think that this idea was a terrible one.

As we watched, Hughes's rocket crashed into the dust with absolute finality. The parachutes that had bloomed above him on previous death-defying launches were nowhere to be seen. 'Come on, parachute,' one watcher murmured anxiously as the ship and the man inside it became a blur of black. For a moment, the rocket seemed to hover, oblivious to gravity.

The rocket took off like a punctured balloon, wobbly and erratic. A jagged trail of steam traced the ship's path across the sky, up thousands of feet above the California desert. Despite the initial excitement, it was clear that something had gone terribly wrong.

As I wrote about Hughes and his cadre of conspiracy theorists attempting dangerous stunts to prove their beliefs, I titled the chapter 'Someone Is Going to Die for No Reason.' It seemed like a futile effort, and in hindsight, it's clear that my concerns were well-founded. The flat earther's rocket launch ended in disaster, leaving many to wonder if the risk was worth the reward.

The incident served as a stark reminder of the dangers of playing with forces beyond our control. While Hughes may have been driven by his convictions, it's impossible not to feel a sense of sadness and regret at the outcome of this ill-fated launch.

Flat earther launches rocket