Episodes

3d ago

CONTENT WARNING This week we're back into our series delving into Mittelwerk, the underground rocket factory / concentration camp that produced Hitler's "Vengeance Weapons". In Part 5, we look at the official establishment of the Mittelbau complex and the constellation of subcamps that sprung up around it. SOURCES: Andre Sellier, A History of the Dora Camp: The Untold Story of the Nazi Slave Labor Camp That Secretly Manufactured V-2 Rockets Jean Michel & Louis Nucera, Dora: The Nazi Concentration Camp Where Modern Space Technology Was Born and 30,000 Prisoners Died Michael Neufeld, The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era Benny Grunfeld, A Teenager in Hitler's Death Camps T D Dungan, V-2: A Combat History of the First Ballistic Missile

Dec 12

The White Bird. The Bridge to Peace. Osea's greatest superweapon. Today, we're talking about the High-Altitude Mobile Spacecraft (HAMS) or as it's more commonly known: The Arkbird. We cover everything from its conception in the paranoid heyday of the Cold War, how it was created as a symbol of peace and cooperation, and its use as a weapon of war. Sources: - Arkbird Declaration (2008 G7 Meeting, LEO) , Gaze Magazine - Arkbird , Encyclopedia Strangereal - The Circum-Pacific War , Encyclopedia Strangereal - Scinfaxi-Class, Covert Shores Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Dec 3

CONTENT WARNING This week we're back into our series delving into Mittelwerk, the underground rocket factory / concentration camp that produced Hitler's "Vengeance Weapons". In Part 4, we take a look at the wider events in Nazi politics and the war in 1944 and how they all filter back to the tunnels under Nordhausen. SOURCES: Andre Sellier, A History of the Dora Camp: The Untold Story of the Nazi Slave Labor Camp That Secretly Manufactured V-2 Rockets Jean Michel & Louis Nucera, Dora: The Nazi Concentration Camp Where Modern Space Technology Was Born and 30,000 Prisoners Died Michael Neufeld, The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era Benny Grunfeld, A Teenager in Hitler's Death Camps T D Dungan, V-2: A Combat History of the First Ballistic Missile

Nov 21

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon . Welcome to the first Failure To Launch Questions & Answers episode! Pulling together questions asked on Patreon and our Discord, this is our chance to let the audience see the real Us.

Nov 18

CONTENT WARNING We are back and continuing our series on Mittelwerk-Dora, the rocket factory concentration camp that churned out Hitler's Vengeance weapons. In Part 3, we cover the foundation of the factory itself, its first months of operation, and the conditions faced by slave labourers from all around Europe in the tunnels under Nordhausen. SOURCES: Andre Sellier, A History of the Dora Camp: The Untold Story of the Nazi Slave Labor Camp That Secretly Manufactured V-2 Rockets Jean Michel & Louis Nucera, Dora: The Nazi Concentration Camp Where Modern Space Technology Was Born and 30,000 Prisoners Died Michael Neufeld, The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era Benny Grunfeld, A Teenager in Hitler's Death Camps T D Dungan, V-2: A Combat History of the First Ballistic Missile

Oct 31

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon . We're back and joined by host of The Socialist Shelf podcast Jacob Dallas to talk about 2025's Mickey 17 . We go through the plot, the philosophy and ethics of cloning, and how this movie's attitudes toward class issues and dystopia compare to director Bong Joon Ho's earlier works, say, Snowpiercer . The tardigrade teddy bears were an A+ addition, though.

Oct 28

The Soviet Everyman. The Mayor of Star City. The Crusader Against Hipsters. This week, we're joined by podcast host and comedian Milo Edwards to talk about Yuri Gagarin's colourful post-flight career: becoming a manosphere influencer and the divine role model for all Russian children. Find Milo's work and comedy tour dates here! Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and Discord access Sources: 1. The Cosmonaut Who Couldn't Stop Smiling , Andrew Jenks FTL theme song by DJ Danarchy

Oct 16

CONTENT WARNING Continuing our exploration into the history of Mittelwerk, the death factory that produced Wernher Von Braun's V2 missiles, we cover the successes of the A4 missile bringing unwanted attention, the use of concentration camp labour at the Peenemunde missile facility, and Operation Hydra, the British plan to bomb that facility flat. SOURCES: Jean Michel & Louis Nucera, Dora: The Nazi Concentration Camp Where Modern Space Technology Was Born and 30,000 Prisoners Died Michael Neufeld, The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era Benny Grunfeld, A Teenager in Hitler's Death Camps T D Dungan, V-2: A Combat History of the First Ballistic Missile Annie Jacobsen, Operation Paperclip

Oct 3

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon . This week, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are joined by Josh Boerman and AJ Ditty of the Worst of All Possible Worlds podcast to talk about the famous 2000 flop of Titan AE - a showing so bad it killed Fox Animation Studios! We cover the movie itself, the time and atmosphere it was made in, and Roger Joseph Ebert's very horny (positive) review.

Sep 25

HUGE CONTENT WARNING FOR THIS SERIES To start our retelling of the story of the Mittelwerk death factory, we cover the early history of the Nazi military rocket program. The VfR amateur rocket club, Walter Dornberger, and the internal politics and squabbling that created the infamous Peenemunde rocket test site. SOURCES: Jean Michel & Louis Nucera, Dora: The Nazi Concentration Camp Where Modern Space Technology Was Born and 30,000 Prisoners Died Michael Neufeld, The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era Benny Grunfeld, A Teenager in Hitler's Death Camps T D Dungan, V-2: A Combat History of the First Ballistic Missile Annie Jacobsen, Operation Paperclip

Aug 30

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon .

Aug 29

Since 1963, it has been illegal under international law to place nuclear weapons in orbit. But the Soviets were brave enough to ask: "What is orbit, really?". This week, we're talking to Joe Kassabian ( @JoeKassabian ), host of the Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast, about OGCh or FOBS, the Soviet superweapon attempt to beat America's missile shield. And a whole lot of OKB politics. Follow Lions Led By Donkeys here! Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and Discord access Sources: 1. The Soviet Fractional Orbital Bombardment System , Asif Siddiqi 2. http://www.astronautix.com/o/ogch.html 3. https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ogch.htm Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Aug 7

As part of our ongoing series on space conspiracy theories, we brought in expert help to tackle one of the most virulent conspiracy theorists of our day. This week, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are joined by Dan Friesen of the Knowledge Fight podcast to talk about all the dumb things Alex Jones believes about space. What has happened in space, what will happen in space, and whether Alex will get his own planet. Follow Knowledge Fight here! Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and Discord access! Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Jul 31

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon .

Jul 25

In early 1961, NASA was actually very well positioned to launch an American into space before the Soviets. Then they messed it up. This week, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris take a look into what was happening at NASA in the months before Vostok 1 flew. We cover the infamous Four Inch Flight, the first chimp in space, and the debate over how safe a rocket should really be before strapping Alan Shepard into it. Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content and Discord access! Sources: Beyond , Stephen Walker Redstone: The Missile That Launched America Into Space , Drew LePage Giving Mercury Its Wings , Drew LePage Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Jul 10

This is an unlocked patreon bonus episode. If you want to hear more content like this, consider supporting FTL on Patreon . For this bonus, we've got Chris, Other Chris, and returning guest Nicholas Slayton getting Tarkovsky-pilled again and talking about the 1979 classic Stalker .

Jun 28

In 1962, President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt (or the UAR) showed the world his newest toys: a set of tiny, dinky missiles that could carry 60 kilos of explosives apiece. Needless to say, the head of the Israeli Mossad flipped out and ordered a campaign of assassinations on the German scientists who'd built them. This week, we're talking to Devon from the Kill James Bond podcast about Operation Damocles: a story of dumb rockets and dumber spies. Listen to Devon's work on: Kill James Bond , Well There's Your Problem , and 10K Posts ! Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: - Reflections on Egypt, the Middle East, and History , Khaled Fahmy - Nasser and the Missile Age in the Middle East , Owen Sirrs Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Jun 6

𝔾𝕠𝕕'𝕤 𝕀𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕪 This week, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris subject themselves to Moon landing hoaxer Bart Sibrel's second "documentary", Astronauts Gone Wild. Spoiler: there's precious little astronauts going wild and it's bad even as conspiracy propaganda. Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus episodes! Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

May 30

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon .

May 23

Sometimes it's better not to go to space. This week, we're talking to guest and space industry engineer Robin about the story of Soyuz T-10A or "that time the LES flung a Soviet crew to safety 3 seconds before their rocket detonated". Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: - Soyuz T-10A: The First Crewed On-Pad Abort , Drew LePage - Russianspaceweb , Anatoly Zak Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

May 2

CONTENT WARNING This week, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are covering the 1980 Plesetsk Cosmodrome explosion, probably the 2nd most lethal accident in space history. Sources: - RussianSpaceWeb, Anatoly Zak Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Apr 28

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon .

Apr 16

Ever since satellites have existed, people have wanted to find ways to kill them. This week, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are taking a look at the 2007 Chinese Anti-Satellite Test - the largest debris-creating event in space history - and the larger trend of nations trying to turn Low Earth Orbit into the zero-g Somme. Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: - Characteristics and Consequences of the Break-up of the Fengyun-1C Spacecraft, NASA - Analysis of the 2007 Chinese ASAT Test and the Impact of its Debris on the Space Environment, T.S. Kelso Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Apr 1

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon .

Mar 21

Heartbreak can be a terrible thing and people work through it in all kinds of ways. Some people drink. Some people attempt to summon an incarnation of Babalon to be their new girlfriend. We're back and we're talking with rocket test engineer Guest Chris about Jack Parsons. In this episode we cover the downfall of Jack Parsons and his ostracization from both the scientific and magical communities. Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: - Strange Angel, George Pendel Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Feb 20

Jack. 210. 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖊𝖒𝖆 𝕺𝖇𝖙𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖚𝖒 𝕻𝖗𝖔𝖈𝖊𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖔 𝕬𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖎𝖘 𝕹𝖚𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖆𝖊. John Whiteside Parsons went by many appellations. In part 2 of our series, we talk to rocket test engineer Chris about how Jack got into Thelema and how he pioneered a frightening amount of modern rocket fuels while chainsmoking. Sources: - Strange Angel, George Pendel Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Feb 14

In a field of weirdos and freaks, Jack Parsons is broadly considered the weirdest freak of all. This week, we're joined by guest and space engineer Chris for our series on the life, accomplishments, and sex life of John Whiteside Parsons. Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sign up to the FTL Patreon at any tier and get access to our new Discord community. Sources: - Strange Angel , George Pendel - Jack Parsons, Famous Bi People Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Feb 3

In the late 80s, the Soviet Union attempted to dominate the commercial launch market. Their principal success was launching the most miserable salaryman into orbit. Today, we're joined by Josh from The Worst of All Possible Worlds podcast to talk about Glavkosmos, the Soviet private space program. Find Josh and Worst Of All Possible Worlds here Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Source: - Soyuz TM-11 , Spacefacts.de - Soviet Efforts To Enter the Launch-Services Market, CIA - Akiyama Toyohiro: The Japanese Astronaut Who Hated Space , Unseen Japan Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy .

Jan 16

𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚏𝚕𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎. This week, we're back talking to Kelly from Canuck Is A Slur to finish up our series on Nikolai Kibalchich, the rocket visionary who blew up Tsar Alexander II. Follow Canuck Is A Slur here! Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Source: - Nikolai Ivanovich Kibalchich: Terrorist Rocket Pioneer , Lee B Croft Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy .

Jan 3

A travelling clown, a socialist revolutionary, an assassin, an edgelord . Today, we talked to Kelly from Canuck is a Slur about the strange life of one of the first men to theorize manned rockets and also blew up Tsar Alexander II, Emperor of Russia. Come back for Part 2, where we cover the assassination and how he factors into space history. Follow Canuck is a Slur here! Support Failure To Launch on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Source: - Nikolai Ivanovich Kibalchich: Terrorist Rocket Pioneer, Lee B Croft Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy .

Dec 19, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, consider supporting Failure To Launch on Patreon .

Dec 13, 2024

A communications satellite is a bundle of computers (all made by different people) the size of a minivan. Coordinating all these systems to work together, send info to Earth, and accept new commands is nightmarish. This week, we're joined by Jake, a software engineer at the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) to learn a little bit about spacecraft operations. Follow along with Jake's slides Support Failure To Launch on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Dec 8, 2024

Expedition Packing List. Food: 200 lb / Sledge: 150 lb / Science Equipment: 50 lb / Bear Meat: 12,000 lb. Today, Quinn and Chris are joined by Joe Kassabian, host of the Lions Led By Donkeys podcast to talk about a Victorian aerospace disaster: S A Andrée's attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon. Follow Joe here! Support Failure To Launch on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: - The Ice Balloon: S. A. Andrée and the Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration, Alec Wilkinson Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy

Nov 20, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our Patreon at any tier!

Nov 14, 2024

This is an unlocked patreon bonus episode. If you want to hear more content like this, consider supporting FTL on Patreon. This month, we're mixing things up and achieving a first for this show by reviewing an actually good space movie, Tarkovsky's 1972 classic Solaris, itself based off Stanislaw Lem's novel of the same name. A big thanks to returning guest Nicholas Slayton for bringing his Tarkovsky expertise to the episode! And for informing us of all the crappy Solaris movies (1968 & 2002) we can inflict on you at a later date.

Oct 31, 2024

If you were a cosmonaut and you knew you were about to die, why wouldn't you announce your last words in a comedy Italian accent? Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are joined by Jake Rockatansky ( @RealRockatansky ) of the QAA podcast to talk about the Lost Cosmonaut conspiracy theory, how it has evolved over the decades, and the Italian brothers most responsible for inventing it. Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: Phantoms of Space, James Oberg http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/trackind/Torre/TorreB.html Related viewing: the dumb conspiracy short film I made everyone watch Music by DJ Danarchy

Oct 25, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our Patreon at any tier! Big thanks to Kelly for coming on! Check out his stuff at: https://linktr.ee/bornunderpunchs https://patreon.com/bornunderpunchs

Oct 17, 2024

The first Romanian in space never set out to be a cosmonaut. He just loved to fly. Today, we're talking about Dumitru Prunariu, his unlikely path to space, and how he ran afoul of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu, Romania's dictator duo. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: Interkosmos: The Eastern Bloc's Early Space Program , Bert Vis & Colin Burgess Music by DJ Danarchy

Oct 3, 2024

The first man to walk on the Moon was nearly spun to death three years before Apollo 11. We're back and talking with space engineer Scott about Gemini 8, the first orbital docking between two spacecraft and how it went horribly wrong. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: - On the Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini - Gemini 8: The First Docking in Space , Drew LePage Music by DJ Danarchy

Sep 25, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our Patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

Sep 5, 2024

This week, we're rejoined by journalist and friend of the show @NSlayton to talk about Soyuz T-15, probably the coolest space mission ever attempted. Read Nicholas' work at Task & Purpose and on his Newsletter ! Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content Sources: - Mir Hardware Heritage, NASA - The Story of Space Station Mir, David M Harland - The work of space radio tracker Sven Grahn Music by DJ Danarchy

Aug 29, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our Patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

Aug 23, 2024

In September 1980, a fuel leak in a Titan II missile silo came close to turning Damascus, Arkansas, into a crater. This week, we're joined by guest @War_Takes to talk about the atomic spud gun, the folks who fought to prevent it, and how they were punished for their efforts. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus episodes! Sources: - Titan II: A History of a Cold War Missile Program , David Stumpf - Command and Control , Eric Schlosser Music by DJ Danarchy

Aug 8, 2024

In order to spy on American satellites and missile tests, the Soviets built the USS Mobile Chernobyl. We're back and joined by Joe and Tom from Lions Led By Donkeys ( @lions_by ) to talk about the SSV-33 Ural, the world's largest spy ship. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Jul 31, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

Jul 29, 2024

Cape Canaveral is in Florida. Vandenburg launch site is in California. Today, we're joined by meteorologist and former launch forecaster Tenki to talk about the unique problems both face and why lightning and rockets should never mix (see: Apollo 12). If you want to watch this as a video with Tenki's slides and visuals, we will have it posted on Youtube shortly. Subscribe to the channel so you can be notified when it goes up! Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Jul 24, 2024

What if mankind's first contact with alien life was through the barrel of a WW1-era German handgun? We're unlocking our first bonus episode for you, the audience! If you want more of this, consider signing up on Patreon !

Jul 10, 2024

We're back and talking about a very dumb Moon Landing Hoax "documentary". Also a fun history primer on how the Moon Hoax conspiracy theory got off the ground evolved over the decades. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Read Paolo Attivisimo's ⁠ Moon Hoax: Debunked! ⁠ Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Jul 3, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch Somehow it escaped our brains till now that CODBLOPS has a mission where you shoot down Soyuz 2.

Jun 28, 2024

History content starts at 19:25 In 1959, the CIA and Mexican DFS stole a Soviet lunar probe in possibly the dumbest heist in spying history. This week, we're joined by @postoctobrist to talk about the CIA Luna Heist. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Read space historian Drew LePage's articles on the first moon race! Sources: - MIT Technology Review Article on the Heist - CIA Article on the Luna Heist Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Jun 17, 2024

In response to a lethal accident, NASA pulled off the crisis communications hattrick: lying to the public, lying to Congress, and lying to the Senate. This week, we're back talking to Kyle about the investigation and fallout of the Apollo 1 fire. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content. Sources: - NASA Apollo 204 Disaster Report Theme song by DJ Danarchy .

Jun 10, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

May 31, 2024

*CONTENT WARNING* A rushed development process, a faulty design, and non-existent quality control. This week, we're joined by space industry engineer Kyle (Skyhawk) to talk about the leadup and events of the Apollo 1 disaster. Sources: - NASA Report on AS-204 - Chariots for Apollo, Courtney G. Brooks - Apollo 1: The Tragedy That Put Us On The Moon, Ryan S. Walters Theme song by DJ Danarchy

May 17, 2024

Did you know that Ballooning was once an Olympic sport? This week, we're rejoined by Nicholas Slayton (@nslayton) to talk about balloons, specifically all the people who died trying to conquer the Stratosphere. Find Nicholas' work here and here ! Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Theme song by DJ Danarchy Sources The Pre-Astronauts, Craig Ryan Gaddafi article from the Independent

May 9, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

May 3, 2024

Non-failure topic this week as Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris talk about Max Valier, the Austrian dude largely responsible for popularizing space research, creating the first professional rocket program, and riding rocket cars. Support FTL through Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources - Max Valier, A Pioneer of Space Travel - Ilse Essers - The Rocket Men (Air Force Magazine) Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Apr 17, 2024

*CONTENT WARNING* This week, we're back with Taylor and Tanner of the Beyond the Breakers podcast for part 2 of our series on Soyuz 11. Follow Beyond the Breakers here Support FTL through Patreon and unlock new bonus content Sources: - Salyut - The First Space Station: Triumph and Tragedy, Grujica Ivanovich (2008) - Rockets and People Volume 4: The Moon Race, Boris Chertok (2013) Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Apr 4, 2024

The story of the world's first space station is complicated, tragic, and incredibly stupid. Today, we're joined by Tanner and Taylor from @beyond_breakers to talk about it. Follow Beyond the Breakers here ! Support FTL through Patreon and unlock new bonus content! Sources: - Salyut - The First Space Station: Triumph and Tragedy, Grujica Ivanovich (2008) - Rockets and People Volume 4: The Moon Race, Boris Chertok (2013) - Mir Hardware Heritage, NASA (1995) Theme song by DJ Danarchy

Mar 29, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

Mar 21, 2024

The French were the first to fly and it made them really weird about balloons. This episode, we're joined by journalist @NSlayton to talk all about the first balloons and aeronauts. Find Nicholas' work here and here ! Support FTL through Patreon and unlock new bonus content! Sources: - The Aeronauts , Donald Dale Jackson - The Early History of Ballooning , Fraser Simons

Mar 8, 2024

What if America got so scared they let a Greek elevator repairman turn off the sky? In this episode, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are joined by guest youtuber Phrosphor to talk all about Operation Argus, the Cold War plan to hide America under a radioactive death cloud. Check out Phros' work here! Support the show and unlock bonus content! Sources: Burning the sky: Operation Argus and the Untold Story of the Cold War Nuclear Tests in Outer Space . Mark Wolverton, 2018

Feb 22, 2024

Iron Sky was alarmingly close to being a documentary. This week, Quinn is joined by Joe and Tom, the hosts of Lions Led By Donkeys to talk about all the ways the Soviets tried to put weapons in space. It involves far more flamingos than you'd expect. Sources: - Energiya-Buran: The Soviet Space Shuttle , Bart Hendrickx - RussianSpaceWeb.com, Anatoly Zak

Feb 20, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch Turns out there were a lot of Soviet space teen movies. And some of them are even good.

Feb 15, 2024

Last time, we talked about the biggest rocket ever designed. This time, we're rejoined by guest Scott to talk about the lunatic who designed it, Bob Truax. Also making appearances in this story: Johnny Carson, Evel Knievel, Robert Goddard, and a tortilla baron. Sources: - Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition, Ed Regis We've also got a patreon! If you want to support FTL and unlock bonus episodes, follow the link below! https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

Jan 24, 2024

The 60s was a time for scientists and engineers to ask the tough questions. Questions like: what if a rocket was so big it was a railroad? This episode, we're joined by friend of the show and rocket engineer Scott to talk about Sea Dragon, the largest rocket ever designed. *This was our longest recording ever and ran into a couple of technical problems so please excuse some muddiness here and there that we couldn't edit around. We've also got a patreon! If you want to support the show and unlock bonus episodes, follow the link below! https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch

Jan 12, 2024

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/posts/96333556?pr=true If you ever wanted to see a dude drill a venusian rabbit-lizard with a WW1-era handgun, we've got you covered.

Jan 12, 2024

Couldn't have happened to a worse guy (still didn't deserve to be airbrushed). Today Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris start off 2024 by talking about Grigory Nelyubov, the cosmonaut who fell from grace and got written out of history for being an arrogant prick. We've also got a patreon! If you want to support the show and unlock a new bonus episode, follow the link below! https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch Sources: - The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team, Colin Burgess - The Cosmonauts Who Weren't There, James Oberg

Dec 22, 2023

A few days before Christmas in 1960, a pair of Soviet space dogs (Comet and Joke) were launched toward orbit to pave the way for Yuri Gagarin. To every listener of FTL, thank you, have good holidays however you celebrate it, and you can expect a lot more fun (horrible) stories and guests in 2024.

Dec 19, 2023

In the early 60s, the Soviets convinced the world their space program worked flawlessly by only announcing successes and covering up all failures. This policy extended to the people who worked for them. In this short series, we'll be looking at all the cosmonauts who were written out of history, starting with the first cosmonaut to ever die in the line of duty: Valentin Bondarenko. Sources - The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team , Colin Burgess - The Cosmonauts Who Weren't There , James Oberg

Nov 13, 2023

In late 1944, the Polish Home Army undertook one of the coolest resistance missions in WW2: stealing an entire V2 rocket and smuggling it to the UK. This episode, we're joined by @RedeyeReviewer to talk about a story that really deserves to be an action flick. Check out Redeye's channel ! Sources: The Polish Underground, 1939-1947 Animals in Space

Nov 2, 2023

From space engineer to arms dealer to the pawn of a dictator. This episode, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris talk to documentary maker BobbyBroccoli about the story of Gerald Bull, the most infamous figure in Canadian space history.

Sep 28, 2023

When most people think "space chimp" they probably think of Ham, the friendly cuddly primate that paved the way for American astronauts. They don't think of the mean one. In today's episode, we're joined by podcast host Francis Horton (@ArmyStrang) to talk about Enos, the coolest space chimp. Sources: - Packing For Mars , Mary Roach - Animals In Space , Chris Dubbs & Colin Burgess - https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/enos-forgotten-chimp

Sep 14, 2023

On today's episode, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are joined by award-winning author Mary Roach to talk about her book Packing For Mars as well as the more secretive side of astronaut culture. Check out Mary's writing here.

Aug 31, 2023

Today, we're back talking to podcast host and producer Nate Bethea about OTRAG, the world's first private launch company, the weird dictators they worked with, and a lot more crocodiles than you'd expect. Sources: Projet Wotan , Joelle Stolz

Aug 15, 2023

Today, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris are joined by Nate Bethea to talk about OTRAG, the first private rocket company. In Part 1, we cover the origins of Lutz Kayser and all the Nazis and dictators he worked with. Sources: Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition , Ed Regis Projet Wotan , Joelle Stolz

Jul 17, 2023

The Soviet everyman. The first Soviet sex symbol. The boyish Russian nationalist. The first man in space played a lot of roles. In this episode, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris talk to space historian Andrew Jenks to try to get to the bottom of just who Yuri Gagarin was. The answer: "Complicated."

Jun 19, 2023

In a bid to find more soldiers to send to Ukraine, Russia has found an interesting new recruitment pool: rocket scientists. In this experimental short, Quinn talks briefly about Roscosmos' new Uran Battalion and the 60 year old men being offered the chance to die in the trenches. Not really sure what these shorts will turn into, if they continue. Bonus content, emergency filler episodes. But if you have opinions, let us know. Sources: https://www.ft.com/content/c194cb2d-3aa0-4195-9be5-e78c1d2fd183

Jun 5, 2023

As the Cultural Revolution threw China into chaos, no institution was immune, not even their highly-secretive rocket program. In this episode we talk to Tom O'Mahony, host of the 33rd County and Beneath The Skin podcasts, about how China's rocket scientists spent the late 60s brawling in the streets and assassinating each other over office politics. Check out our guest, Tom (@gotitatguineys) Host of 33rd County and Beneath The Skin Producer of What a Hell of a Way to Die and Lions Led By Donkeys Sources Making Breakthroughs in the Turbulent Decade, Chengzhi Li Thread of the Silkworm, Iris Chang China in Space, Brian Harvey

May 26, 2023

The first Moon Race wasn't to land people. It wasn't even to land. In the late 1950s, the Soviets and Americans raced to see who could be the first to slam satellites into the Moon at Mach 10. In this episode, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris interview space historian Andrew LePage on his work, his blog, and the probes that paved the way for Apollo. Go check out Drew's website ! Also, a big thanks to Drew for coming on the show. Show Notes https://www.drewexmachina.com/2015/09/27/nasas-forgotten-lunar-program/ https://www.drewexmachina.com/2018/11/08/the-first-race-to-the-moon-getting-off-the-ground/ https://www.drewexmachina.com/2019/09/14/the-first-race-to-the-moon-reaching-our-neighbor/ https://www.drewexmachina.com/2019/10/04/luna-3-shedding-light-on-the-dark-side-of-the-moon/

May 18, 2023

Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris finish up their coverage of Soyuz 1 and Vladimir Komarov, the first man to die during a space mission. We also talk about the hundreds of dumb conspiracy theories that popped up around Soyuz 1, how they got started, and how they succeeded in replacing the truth. Sources Soyuz 1: The Death of Vladimir Komarov by Asif Siddiqi https://www.drewexmachina.com/2017/04/26/soyuz-1-tragedy/ https://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz1.html http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/histind/Soyuz1Land/Soyanaly.htm#Asif2 https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2011/05/02/134735091/questions-questions-questions-more-on-a-cosmonauts-mysterious-death

Apr 30, 2023

The cosmonaut who cursed the Soviet Union as he burned alive. The friend who died to protect Yuri Gagarin. The lump of carbon in an open casket. There are a lot of stories out there about Vladimir Komarov and Soyuz 1, and most of them are lies. In this episode, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris go over what really happened to the first man to die during a spaceflight. Show Notes: Soyuz 1: The Death of Vladimir Komarov by Asif Siddiqi http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/histind/Soyuz1Land/SoyAtti.htm https://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz1.html https://www.drewexmachina.com/2017/04/26/soyuz-1-tragedy/

Apr 13, 2023

This episode, Quinn, Chris, and Other Chris talk about the history of Space Hygiene and the worst space mission that everyone survived. Topics covered include: The Soviet and American test subjects who didn't bathe for science The Gemini 7 astronauts who stewed in their spacesuits for two weeks The Salyut cosmonauts who almost drowned using the first space shower Sources: Packing For Mars, Mary Roach https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/mission_trans/gemini7.htm

Feb 8, 2023

This episode we cover the history of the longest-running cooperation in space history, BION, as well as the endangered species it launched into space and the people who chained themselves to a door to shut it down. Sources: Animals in Space, Chris Dubbs & Colin Burgess NASA Institute for Biomedical Problems / Roscosmos

Jan 8, 2023

The Navy tries to launch a grapefruit into orbit, an Army general LARPs as a Bond villain, and America's first satellite launch comes down to the dumbest photo-finish in space history. Part 2/2 of our series on Project Vanguard, the US Navy's flawed satellite launch program. Sources: Red Moon Rising, Matthew Brzezinski Vanguard: A History, NASA

Nov 27, 2022

The story of probably the funniest and worst field in space science. We cover the history of space toilets from the Gemini "Defecation Glove" to the Shuttle Toilet-Blender. Show Notes - Packing For Mars, Mary Roach - How Do You Go To The Bathroom In Space, William R. Pogue

Oct 24, 2022

Project Vanguard, the US Navy's plan to put a satellite in orbit, isn't one of those space stories that's well-remembered and with good reason - it was a historic failure and a national embarrassment. Needless to say, we were interested. In this episode, America tries to beat the Soviets to orbit with three (3) competing space programs, Navy engineers discover possibly the most dangerous chemicals on the planet, and an unfinished, untested, underfunded, and mismanaged rocket is forced to perform "the wettest dry run in history". P.S. Thank you to Sarah from the It Came From The Sea podcast for the intro (the annoyed tone is intentional and hopefully not directed at us) Sources: Red Moon Rising, Matthew Brzezinski Ignition, John D. Clark Vanguard: A History, NASA

Oct 6, 2022

In this episode, we take a look into the idea of delivering mail by rocket. It's a story of colonialism, Nazis, scammers, stamp collectors, and possibly the dumbest/coolest conman of all time.

Sep 13, 2022

Most people know about Laika the space dog or ham the astrochimp. What most people don't know about are the cyberpunk animals of the French Space Program. This episode, we explore CERMA, the Hammaguir launch site, and the various endangered animals France launched into space. Show Notes: Start of "Soviet September", where Quinn is banned from talking about the USSR or their space program for the next four (4) episodes, inclusive. Sources: Animals in Space: From Research Rockets to the Space Shuttle, Colin Burgess, 2007

Sep 7, 2022

The Soviets came up with some truly innovative ways to protect their cosmonauts and space stations. This episode, we dig through a layer of Cold War secrecy and cover-ups to bring you the history of space guns. From cosmonaut Alexei Leonov taking on a wolfpack with a 1.5lb handgun to the Space Shuttle kicking off a wave of stupid Soviet space weapons.

Aug 29, 2022

Part 2 of our 2 part series. In 1978, a Soviet spy satellite carrying weapons-grade uranium slammed into Canada's Northwest Territories. This episode, we talk about the scientists, soldiers, and psychics who signed on with Operation Morning Light to clean up the mess and why they failed. Content Warning: As with most things involving the Canadian government's treatment of First Nations people, a fair amount of racism. Sources: Leo Heaps, Operation Morning Light: Terror in Our Skies : the True Story of Cosmos 954 http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/trackind/RORSAT/RORSAT.html#References https://web.archive.org/web/20110929125210/http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/gamma/ml_e.php

Jul 31, 2022

This series, we are doing a deep dive on Cosmos 954, the Soviet spy satellite carrying a nuclear reactor that deorbited and crashed into Canada's Northwest Territories. In Part 1, we focus on the satellite itself, how it failed, and how a little-known American government agency stepped up to tackle a nuclear disaster. Topics covered include: - Why the Soviets loaded a spy satellite with weapons-grade uranium - The horrible "failsafes" they designed into their satellites - How a nuclear prank in Boston scared the US into taking accidents seriously - How all of this is (tangentially) Korolev and Khrushchev's fault

Jul 19, 2022

This episode, we take a look at the history of Sputnik 2 as well as the the Soviet answer to Project Albert: the Canine Cosmonaut program. Topics covered include: - How Korolev designed, built, and launched a satellite in less than a month. - Why the Soviets only picked stray female mutts to fly on their rockets. - Why there was no reason for Laika to die except Khrushchev's ego. Show Notes: Red Moon Rising by Matthew Brzezinski Animals in Space by Colin Burgess and Chris Dubbs

Jul 8, 2022

This episode, we finish our three-part series on Sputnik 1 and the people, politics, and egos that launched the Space Race. Topics covered include: - The decisions that made Sputnik 1 the perfect propaganda tool and worthless as a scientific instrument - Khrushchev chopping up the Red Army and purging its top general - How media and politicians in the West fanned the flames of Sputnik Panic - How a beeping ball made the Soviet Union into a true superpower

Jun 17, 2022

In this episode, we continue our investigation into Sputnik 1, its troubled development, and the politics that went into world's first satellite. Topics covered include: - Khrushchev being so sold on rockets he slashes the Red Army by a third - Rival engineers who got each other sent to the gulag - Building a rocket site in the most inhospitable place on Earth - Two revolutions, one coup d'état, and the least-bloody purge in Soviet history

Jun 3, 2022

Back from an extended hiatus, we take a look at the cult that developed around Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. Topics covered include: - Gagarin's folk tale-worthy landing and the subsequent cover-up - Gagarin's father being demoted to his uncle by state propaganda - Yuri's unlikely role as the first Soviet sex symbol - How the Kremlin exploited (and continues to exploit) Gagarin's legacy Show Notes Suggestion & Question Email: LaunchFailurePodcast@gmail.com Podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/launch_failure Episode Notes Source for Gagarin Cult History: The Cosmonaut Who Couldn't Stop Smiling: The Life and Legend of Yuri Gagarin by Andrew L. Jenks, 2012 Source for Propaganda Posters: https://russiatrek.org/blog/art/propaganda-posters-of-soviet-space-program-1958-1963/ Source for Putin Quotes: http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68180

Nov 16, 2021

Between super-heavy lifters, centrifuges throwing shells into space, or hypersonic warheads, this is a time of Sputnik Moments - moments in history that represent a great leap in science. But what about the first Sputnik Moment? What about the satellite that was so influential that it set the bar for every scientific breakthrough since and kicked off the greatest (peaceful) competition in human history? In this set of episodes, Quinn, Chris, and Other-Chris will take a deep dive into the horrible reasons that made Sputnik happen, the development of objectively the worst satellite ever made, and the way a small chrome ball turned the geopolitical world on its head. In part one, we talk about the US general, competing scientists, and brutal rebellion that made Sputnik happen.

Sep 13, 2021

No better way to start off than to dive into the wonderful world of animal experimentation. In Episode Zero, Quinn and Chris go over America's Project Albert, Nazi rockets cobbled together from spare parts, so many dead monkeys, and much more.