On February 22, 2020, Hughes died near Barstow, California, following the crash of a rocket he was piloting, built by Hughes and his collaborator Waldo Stakes. During launch, the rocket's parachute, which was designed for landing, appeared to deploy early and detach from the craft. A witness at the launch, freelance journalist Justin Chapman, said that the rocket appeared to rub against the launch apparatus, perhaps tearing the parachutes. The launch event was being filmed for the Science Channel television series Homemade Astronauts, in which Hughes was to star.
Following Hughes' death, Darren Shuster, his public relations representative, stated: "We used flat Earth as a PR stunt... Flat Earth allowed us to get so much publicity that we kept going! I know he didn't believe in flat Earth and it was a schtick".
On Mike's successful rocket launch on March 24, 2018, he attained an altitude 1,875 feet.