Failure To Launch

CONTENT WARNINGThis week we're back into our series delving into Mittelwerk, the underground rocket factory / concentration camp that produced Hitler's "Vengeance Weapons". In Part 4, we take a look at the wider events in Nazi politics and the war in 1944 and how they all filter back to the tunnels under Nordhausen. SOURCES:Andre Sellier, A History of the Dora Camp: The Untold Story of the Nazi Slave Labor Camp That Secretly Manufactured V-2 RocketsJean Michel & Louis Nucera, Dora: The Nazi Concentration Camp Where Modern Space Technology Was Born and 30,000 Prisoners DiedMichael Neufeld, The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile EraBenny Grunfeld, A Teenager in Hitler's Death CampsT D Dungan, V-2: A Combat History of the First Ballistic Missile

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.

Explore the dark history of Mittelwerk, where V-2 rockets were produced in horrifying conditions. Discover the brutal realities faced by slave laborers, including cramped tunnels and rampant disease. Learn about the chaotic construction efforts, the SS's ruthless control, and the grim statistics on worker mortality. Delve into the psychological tactics used by the SS, including public executions to instill fear. This gripping narrative intertwines the legacy of wartime production with the inception of modern space technology.

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 compare to director Bong Joon Ho's earlier works, say, Snowpiercer. The tardigrade teddy bears were an A+ addition, though.

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 Discord accessSources:1. The Cosmonaut Who Couldn't Stop Smiling, Andrew JenksFTL theme song by DJ Danarchy

Explore the harrowing history of Mittelwerk, where V2 missiles were mass-produced using concentration camp labor. Discover how early rocket successes led to increased Nazi funding and Hitler's demand for rapid retaliation. Hear about Operation Hydra, the Allied bombing raid that aimed to cripple the rocket program but resulted in tragic civilian casualties. Learn about the sinister SS involvement and the brutal conditions faced by prisoners in the construction of the missile facilities. Dive into this dark chapter of technology intertwined with human suffering.

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 itself, the time and atmosphere it was made in, and Roger Joseph Ebert's very horny (positive) review.

Explore the dark beginnings of Nazi rocket technology with tales of the VfR amateur club and the political infighting that shaped Peenemünde. Discover how key figures like Walter Dornberger recruited talent from the VfR and navigated Nazi bureaucracy, all while Hitler's indifference shifted to obsession. Hear about the challenges faced in securing resources and manpower, and how the A4 project turned into a dangerous priority for the regime. Dive into the grim realities surrounding the birth of modern rocketry amidst war and moral dilemmas.

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. Follow Lions Led By Donkeys here!Support FTL on Patreon to unlock bonus content and Discord accessSources:1. The Soviet Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, Asif Siddiqi2. http://www.astronautix.com/o/ogch.html 3. https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ogch.htmTheme song by DJ Danarchy