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 Damocles: a story of dumb rockets and dumber spies. Listen to Devon's work on: Kill James Bond , Well...
πΎπ π'π€ ππ£π ππͺ 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 provided by DJ Danarchy...
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 and Consequences of the Break-up of the Fengyun-1C Spacecraft, NASA - Analysis of the 2007 Chinese ASA...
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 communities. Support FTL on Patreon and unlock bonus content! Sources: - Strange Angel, George Pendel Theme song ...
Jack. 210. πΏππππππ πΊπππππππ π»ππππππππ π¬πππππ πΉππππππ. 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 , George Pendel - Jack Parsons, Famous Bi People Theme song provided by DJ Danarchy...
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 - Akiyam...
πΈ'ππ πππππππ π ππππππ πππ π πππ’πππ πππππππ. 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 ....
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 Pione...
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 .
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...
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 AndrΓ©e'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. AndrΓ©e and the Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration, Alec Wilkinson Theme song provided ...
This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our Patreon at any tier!
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...
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/trac...
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
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...
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...
This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our Patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch
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...
This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our Patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch
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...
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...
This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest, join our patreon at any tier: https://www.patreon.com/failuretolaunch
