Blasting Off in a Homemade, Steam-Powered Rocket

Flat-Earth theorist and self-taught rocket scientist ‘Mad’ Mike Hughes has catapulted himself half a mile into the air aboard a homemade rocket in Californian desert town.

The 61-year-old limo-driver-turned-rocket-scientist launched his steam-powered rocket and reached an altitude of 1,875 feet (572m) near Amboy, California on Saturday. The event was previously delayed due variously to technical problems and/or lack of permission.

“This is like the Falcon Space launch,” Hughes’ team member J...