Failure To Launch

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.

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...

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 com...

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 Discor...

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:...

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 itsel...

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 Moder...

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 .

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. Fo...

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...

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 .

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 Shepa...

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 .

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 D...

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

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 .

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 provi...

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

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 .

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 an...

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 .

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 commu...

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

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...

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!...