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Failure To Launch

Failure To Launch Podcast
NASA
Space Exploration
Soviet Union
Cold War
Mittelwerk
Jack Parsons
Nazi Germany
Soviet Space Program
Apollo 1
Apollo Program
Yuri Gagarin
Conspiracy Theories
Aerojet
V-2 Rockets
Solaris
Stalker
Soviet Cinema
Gus Grissom
Ed White
Roger Chaffee

This is a podcast about all the mistakes, failures, and explosions that made space exploration possible.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes119Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
AviationLeisure

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Artwork for Failure To Launch

Latest Episodes

In a desperate bid to one-up the American Apollo missions, the Soviets built nuclear Moon tanks. We’re joined by auto journalist and podcaster Victoria Scott for a series on the Soviet Lunokhod rovers. In Part 1, we talk about the three-pronged Sovie... more

YouTube

On July 9th, 1962, the US Navy lit space on fire from Hawaii to New Zealand and fried a quarter of all active satellites in orbit. This week, we’re joined by engineer and friend of the show Ian to talk about Starfish Prime, the largest nuclear test e... more

YouTube

This is a preview of a bonus episode. To hear the rest of the episode and unlock more bonus content, support Failure To Launch on Patreon at any tier.

For June’s bonus, we’re joined by Ani Mejlumyan of the Lions Led By Donkeys podcast to talk all ab... more

YouTube

The earliest manned spaceflights were universally cramped, uncomfortable, and dangerous. What if your job was to do that multiple times a year underwater? This week, we're joined by Dr. Alan Jamieson, an accomplished marine biologist, veteran of many... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Ani Mejlumyan
Journalist and podcaster on The Lions Led By Donkeys, Armenian media specialist
The Lions Led By Donkeys
Episode: *PREVIEW* The Lesson (1987)
Alan Jamieson
Marine biologist, engineer, author, and podcaster (Deep Sea podcast host)
University of Western Australia / Deep Sea
Episode: Deep Sea & Space (w. Dr Alan Jamieson)
Gene Mikulka
Space exploration advocate and host of the Talking Space podcast
Talking Space
Episode: NASA Cuts w. Gene Mikulka
Gareth Dennis
Railway engineer, author, host of RailNatter
RailNatter
Episode: NASA Railroad & Soyuz City (w. Gareth Dennis)
Jay Eaton
Artist with experience in evolutionary biology; author of Runaway to the Stars
Runaway to the Stars (webcomic)
Episode: Alien Planet & Spec Bio (w. Jay Eaton)
Alexander The OK
Space and aerospace YouTuber
YouTube
Episode: Chelomey's LKS Shuttle (w. Alexander The OK)
Milo Edwards
Comedian and podcaster
Trash Future, Glue Factory, Masters of Our Domain
Episode: Yuri Gagarin, The Soviet Andrew Tate (w. Milo Edwards)
Joe Kassabian
Historian and host of the Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast
Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast
Episode: Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (w. Joe Kassabian)
Dan Friesen
Host of the Knowledge Fight podcast
Knowledge Fight
Episode: The Cosmology of Alex Jones (w. Dan Friesen)

Hosts

Quinn Heahm
Host of Failure To Launch
Chris Heahm
Co-host of Failure To Launch

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 246 ratings
  • Context Review Signed

    I’m here to confirm I received the context report and got my signature notarized. It’ll be hand delivered from the Mr.B gulag in the coming months…or never.

    Real review: Great show, super smart and funny.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cindy Reviews Things
    United States2 months ago
  • Great content and great banter

    Love this podcast! They dive into subjects that mainstream space history glosses over and talk about some amazing topics!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Twisted_Lazarus
    United Statesa year ago
  • Really interesting podcast! Treats the topics with a lot of obvious passion and care, and goes to great lengths at times to debunk falsehoods that are just considered accepted fact to many people. Good stuff

    Podcast Addict
    5
    wonkledonkle
    a year ago
  • Excellent grain geometry

    Great show. Super nerdy.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NikolaiGranakov
    United Statesa year ago
  • Excellent mix of great scholarship and humor. One of my favorite podcasts and I love to recommend it to people remotely interested in space shit.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    fourthmarker
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Impeccable nerdy content with sharp banter.
Great production quality and space-history depth.
Comfortable, approachable style that makes niche topics accessible.
Balances humor with solid archival context, useful for guests and sponsors.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#10
United States/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#183
United States/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#3
Canada/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#74
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#172
United Kingdom/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#16
France/Leisure/Aviation

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Deep Sea & Space (w. Dr Alan Jamieson)
Q: How does crew comfort influence mission success in extreme environments?
Comfort evolves from a 'nice-to-have' to a performance factor; longer, more logistically demanding dives require better seating, temperature management, and reduced fatigue, which in turn improves data quality and reduces risk of human error.
Deep Sea & Space (w. Dr Alan Jamieson)
Q: What are the main design trade-offs between deep-sea submersibles and crewed spacecraft?
Both emphasize safety margins, modular components, and the ability to diagnose and recover from issues on-site; however, deep-sea systems prioritize resistance to high hydrostatic pressure and cold, whereas space systems prioritize vacuum conditions and microgravity, with both stressing the value of human intuition alongside engineering precision.
*PREVIEW* FTL | Q&A #1
Q: What piece of media, books, movies, music, games of any sort or other podcasts did you consume recently?
Hosts mentioned watching 'Foundation,' discussing its new take on classic sci-fi.
The Cosmology of Alex Jones (w. Dan Friesen)
Q: What does Alex Jones believe humanity's future in space entails?
He seems to envision interplanetary colonization as part of God's plan, but mixed with a bizarre spiritual warfare against demons.
The Cosmology of Alex Jones (w. Dan Friesen)
Q: How does Alex Jones' belief system relate to classic conspiracy theories?
He generally didn't support classic space conspiracy theories, taking a contrarian stance instead, often providing his own spin on them.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Failure To Launch

What is Failure To Launch about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show offers a space-history leaning mashup of technical detail, colorful anecdotes, and sharp commentary on how accidents, miscalculations, and logistics shaped space exploration. Recent episodes mix deep dives into real-world engineering challenges (like rocket supply chains, launch-site infrastructure, and historical decision-making) with lively reads on culture, politics, and the personalities behind monumental programs. The hosts balance nerdy rigor with accessible storytelling and humor, often welcoming guests who bring specialized expertise to unpack complex topics. A standout quality is the willingness to tackle overlooked or controversial angles—from the human costs of large-scale projects to the myths and misconceptions that su... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Failure To Launch?

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1. Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast
2. Blood Work
3. Well There‘s Your Problem
4. The Worst of All Possible Worlds
5. No Gods No Mayors

How many episodes of Failure To Launch are there?

Failure To Launch launched 5 years ago and published 119 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Failure To Launch?

Recent guests on Failure To Launch include:

1. Ani Mejlumyan
2. Alan Jamieson
3. Gene Mikulka
4. Gareth Dennis
5. Jay Eaton
6. Alexander The OK
7. Milo Edwards
8. Joe Kassabian

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