‘Mad’ Mike Hughes was taken to hospital after his rocket flight (Picture: AP)

A self-taught scientist who built and launched his own steam powered rocket to prove the earth was flat was given a harsh lesson in physics when it crashed with him in it.

‘Mad’ Mike Hughes plummeted to earth after reaching 1,875 feet above the Mojave Desert, California, yesterday, and was immediately rushed to hospital.

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Hughes survived the crash thanks to two parachutes deploying from Liberty One the rocket but he fared better than his flying machine which has a mangled front nose.

His mission was to prove the earth was flat after declaring: ‘I do not believe in science’.


The launch of ‘Mad’ Mike Hughes’ steam rocket was a success (Picture: AP)

‘Mad’ Mike Hughes preparing for take off in his homemade rocket (Picture: AP)

He said: ‘Do I believe the Earth is shaped like a Frisbee? I believe it is, do I know for sure? No. That’s why I want to go up in space.’



But speaking after his flight, he was more concerned about domestic comforts than proving everyone from Galileo to Stephen Hawking wrong.

He said: ‘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.’

The Liberty One fell to the ground after reaching over 1,800 feet (Picture: Splash)

‘Mad’ Mike Hughes proves he is no chicken when preparing for takeoff (Picture: AP)

Hughes was derided for believing his steam-powered rocket, which needed 70 gallons of water to take off, could make it into orbit. He was compared to Wile E. Coyote and branded a crackpot.

Doubters also started to call Mike out after he had to cancel several launches due to logistics and authorities barring him from taking off.

However, after a friend who owned a huge swathe of land let him take off on his property Mike was ready to rocket.

And, now, despite his bad back he can look anyone in the eye and tell them he ‘ain’t no chicken’.

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