A daredevil pilot from the United States has sadly been killed during an attempt to launch a homemade rocket in the Californian desert, the BBC reports.
64-year-old 'Mad' Mike Hughes is said to have crash-landed the steam-powered rocket shortly after it took off.
Per the BBC, Hughes was known for his belief that the Earth was flat, and aimed to prove this theory by going into space.
A video posted to social media allegedly shows a rocket being fired into the sky, with a parachute trailing behind it - presumably deployed too soon. It then plummets to the ground nearby.
The Science Channel paid tribute to Hughes on Twitter, writing:
"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"
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said the following, "a man was pronounced deceased after the rocket crashed in the open desert". They advised that they had been called to a rocket launch event at 2pm local time on Saturday.
