Failure To Launch

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!

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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.

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Read Paolo Attivisimo's ⁠Moon Hoax: Debunked!⁠

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

Somehow it escaped our brains till now that CODBLOPS has a mission where you shoot down Soyuz 2.

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.

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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

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.

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

*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

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

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

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.

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Sources

- Max Valier, A Pioneer of Space Travel - Ilse Essers

- The Rocket Men (Air Force Magazine)

Theme song by DJ Danarchy