Failure To Launch

Latest Episodes:

Dumitru Prunariu, Covered Up for Being Too Cool Oct 17, 2024

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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

Gemini 8: The Orbital Spin Cycle Oct 03, 2024

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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.

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Sources:

- On the Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini

- Gemini 8: The First Docking in Space, Drew LePage

Music by DJ Danarchy

*PREVIEW* First on the Moon (2005) Sep 25, 2024

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

Soyuz T-15: Space Truckers (w. Nicholas Slayton) Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

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

*PREVIEW* Spaceman (2024) Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

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

The Damascus Incident (w. War_Takes) Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

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

SSV-33 Ural (w. Lions Led By Donkeys) Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

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

*PREVIEW* Eolomea (1972) Jul 31, 2024

Show notes

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

The Science of Launch Forecasting Jul 29, 2024

Show notes

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

*UNLOCKED* Planet of the Storms (1962) Jul 24, 2024

Show notes

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!

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