Failure To Launch

Latest Episodes:

*PREVIEW* Gleipnir (Ace Combat X) Apr 16, 2026

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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.

Part 2: Viktor Ilyin, Would-Be Cosmonaut Assassin Apr 08, 2026

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The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a motorcycle. We're back for part 2 of our series on Viktor Ilyin and the story leading up to the attempted assassination of Leonid Brezhnev in 1969.

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Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and join our Discord community!

SOURCES:

- Into the Cosmos, Asif Siddiqi and James Andrews
- The First Cosmonaut Team, Colin Burgess and Rex Hall
- Soyuz-4 and -5 crews perform docking, spacewalk between ships, Anatoly Zak

FTL theme song by DJ Danarchy

Alien Planet & Spec Bio (w. Jay Eaton) Apr 03, 2026

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What would alien life look like? Would it look shockingly like an Ho-229 jet fighter? Would it be best researched by an AI with the mind of a preschooler? This week, we're joined by comic artist and speculative biology enthusiast Jay Eaton to talk about potential alien life and a really weird 2005 Discovery documentary, Alien Planet.

Check out Jay's webcomic, Runaway to the Stars, here and sign up for the Kickstarter of their book!

Find our new merch store here!

Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and join our Discord community!

FTL theme song by DJ Danarchy

*PREVIEW* Mystery of the Third Planet (1981) Mar 31, 2026

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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.

Part 1: Viktor Ilyin, Would-Be Cosmonaut Assassin Mar 26, 2026

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Cosmonaut Boris Volynov almost died twice in one week in January 1969. The first was when his Soyuz-5 capsule nearly burned up on reentry. The second was when a Soviet Army defector ambushed the motorcade carrying him, seven other cosmonauts, and Premier Leonid Brezhnev with akimbo Makarovs.

This is Part 1 of our series into the weird story of an attempted assassination of the leader of the Soviet Union.

Find our new merch store here!

Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and join our Discord community!

SOURCES:
- Into the Cosmos, Asif Siddiqi and James Andrews
- The First Cosmonaut Team, Colin Burgess and Rex Hall
- Soyuz-4 and 5 crews perform docking, spacewalk between ships, Anatoly Zak

FTL theme song by DJ Danarchy

*UNLOCKED* Sunshine (2007) Feb 25, 2026

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ЩΉΛƬ DӨ YӨЦ ƧΣΣ?

On audience request, this time we're reviewing 2007's Sunshine. It's got a great cast, a legendary soundtrack, good reviews, financial failure, and it made Cillian Murphy an atheist.

*PREVIEW* Red Planet (2000) Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

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.

Skylab 4 - The Myth of the Space Mutiny Feb 11, 2026

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No, a trio of astronauts on NASA's Skylab station did not stage a mutiny over poor working conditions. Yes, they would've been justified if they had staged a real mutiny. Today, we're tackling Skylab-4 and the legend of the First Strike in Space.

Find our new merch store here!

Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and join our Discord community!

SOURCES:

- Skylab: The Human Side of a Scientific Mission

- https://nss.org/space-myths-busted-no-there-wasnt-a-mutiny-on-skylab/

- https://nss.org/i-finally-read-a-house-in-space-and-it-is-a-big-ol-mess/

*PREVIEW* Operation Crossbow w. Kill James Bond Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

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.

Chelomey's LKS Shuttle (w. Alexander The OK) Jan 21, 2026

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In the late 70s, OKB-52 head Vladimir Chelomey decided to try and compete with the new Buran space shuttle project. He did it in secret, with stolen funds, and against express orders from the Kremlin. Today, we're talking with space history youtuber Alexander The OK about how it all somehow went wrong.

Watch Alex's content here!

Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and join our Discord community!

SOURCES:

- Ahead of his Time, Ivan Evteev

- The Proton Launcher, Christian Lardier and Stefan Berensky

- Energiya-Buran, Bart Hendrickz

- Raketoplan, RussianSpaceWeb

- LKS, RussianSpaceWeb

- Vladimir Chelomei, False Steps

FTL theme song by DJ Danarchy