Flat Earther Builds and Launches Rocket

The shape of the earth has been a topic of debate for quite a long time with several people believing it’s shaped as a frisbee. Californian Mike Hughes has become pretty famous for vocally supporting this argument and recently received even more attention after building and launching a steam powered rocket.
Mike’s a 61-year-old limo driver and daredevil who rose to the spotlight after soaring to about 1,875 feet in his homemade rocket. Reports by Associated Press indicate that at 3 p.m. pacific time, Mike tested his rocket over the Mojave Desert where it topped speeds of 350 mph upon vertical propulsion. Printed onto the body of the rocket are the words “FLAT EARTH” which echo his belief on the shape of the earth. Weldo Stakes, his assistant told AP that Hughes deployed 2 parachutes while landing; the second one was deployed just before touchdown. Video from the test show that the entire venture lasted a span of a minute from the launch to the landing.
The successful vertical launch held 200 miles to the east of L.A dispelled doubts that had grown following the postponement of previous scheduled launches. He was compelled to postpone a number of times due to inability to secure permission to launch on public land from a federal agency. After the launch, Hughes stated that he was relieved despite the physical injuries he suffered.
Speaking to AP, Hughes mentioned that he was glad he did it and that he would comfortably go home, enjoy his dinner and have some time with his cats. It is also during the interview that he mentioned that he may have problems getting up the next day, probably referring to injuries sustained from the landing. Hughes also admitted that the assumptions of him “chickening out” frustrated and motivated him to man up and do it.
For a long time, he has been committed to proving that the world is flat and that the spherical image of the world as described by NASA astronauts like Neil Armstrong and John Glenn is nothing but CGI. He has made several attempts to soar to at least a height of 52 miles off the ground to conclusively prove that the earth isn’t spherical as claimed.
Mike postponed the scheduled November launch after being barred from using federal land by the Land Management Bureau. The agency through its spokesperson however denied the claims. He postponed another launch later that month and moved the point of launch to Amboy, California on a private property.
Later that month, while moving the rocket to the new site, Hughes in a statement to the Washington Post confirmed that the launch was taking place and they were only moving it a couple miles down the road. He then mentioned that the launch had to be pushed forward by a few days saying he needed 3 days to set it up. He attempted a launch in February and failed due to “technical difficulties”.
Mike’s rocket building skills are quite impressive. Back in 2014, he developed his first manned rocket and flew it a short distance over Winkelman, Ariz. In 2002, he set a Guinness World Record for a limousine jump.
AP reports that Mike’s Saturday landing left him with injuries. There are even photos of Mike on a stretcher being carried into an ambulance. Hughes also plans to run for governor.