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LA Made
LA Made
Exploring stories of bold Californian innovators and how they forever changed the lives of millions all over the world.

About the Show

“LA Made” is a new series exploring stories of bold Californian innovators and how they forever changed the lives of millions all over the world. Each season will unpack the untold and surprising stories behind some of the most exciting innovations that continue to influence our lives today.

Season 1, “LA Made: Blood, Sweat & Rockets,” tells the hidden story of the fearless, groundbreaking and ambitious crew who shaped our quest to outer space and ushered in the early days of space exploration at Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at CalTech. Known as the “Suicide Squad,” the team’s road to triumph was fraught with controversies involving the occult, a suspected spy ring, unplanned explosions, and a suspicious death. Join writer and life-long aerospace fanatic M.G. Lord as she uncovers their story and reveals the shocking origins of rocket science in this 12 episode season.

Released November 15, 2022

Funding provided by:

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

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Episodes
  • 25:15
    Episode 14
    25:15
    Blood, Sweat & Rockets: Flights of Fancy in Southern California (Bonus Episode)
    What is it about gazing at the stars that inspires humans — including our very own Suicide Squad — to attempt the impossible? And what is it about sunny Southern California that inspires them to do it here? In this episode we find out. Support LA Made: Blood, Sweat & Rockets by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/ROCKETS
  • 23:46
    Episode 13
    23:46
    Blood, Sweat & Rockets: Inside JPL (Bonus Episode)
    We go inside the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and get a tour that’s not available to the public: watching technicians build spacecraft with Kobie Boykins, hanging out with Nagin Cox at the Mars Yard, and demystifying a campus famous for its secrecy. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/ROCKETS
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  • 26:33
    Episode 4
    While Frank Malina struggles with the militarization of his work, Jack Parsons is not so bothered. Instead, he's having the time of his life enjoying the Squad’s success and giving in entirely to hedonism and Sexmagick. It's all fun and games until the FBI starts investigating. Episode 5 will launch January 10th. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/ROCKETS
  • 30:39
    Episode 3
    Frank Malina is wracked with inner conflict over working for the military. His calls for scientific advancement for the purpose of bettering humanity fall on deaf ears, which leads him to embrace a political philosophy that the US government is increasingly hostile towards.
  • 26:29
    Episode 2
    The semi-successful Halloween test earns the squad some legitimacy and some money. Without consistent funding, though, the Suicide Squad breaks up before they've really gotten started. Until the U.S. government is caught off guard by the Nazis’ technological advancements and decides it needs to accelerate its own rocketry production — fast. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/ROCKETS
  • 25:43
    Episode 1
    Meet the Suicide Squad: Jack Parsons, Frank Malina, and their crew. They're a band of young engineers, chemists, and mathematicians who saw the limitless potential of aerospace before the field was even a field. In an effort to earn credibility, the squad plans a dramatic experiment — a critical proof of concept — to showcase a technology they believe could be the future of humanity. Will it succeed — or fail spectacularly? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/ROCKETS
  • 4:45
    4:45
    Introducing LA Made: Blood, Sweat & Rockets
    From NASA sending astronauts to the moon to billionaires launching themselves into space, there’s something about the cosmos that inspires people to attempt the impossible. But none of those things might have happened if it weren’t for a group of unsung engineers in Pasadena back in the 1930s. They risked it all for the sake of blowing stuff up and changing the world. They were known as the “Suicide Squad.” This is their story.
Credits
Host, Writer
Executive Producer, Western Sound
Showrunner, Western Sound
Producer & Editor, Western Sound
Producer, Western Sound
Producer & Historical Research, History Studio
Producer & Historical Research, History Studio
Executive Producer, LAist Studios
Vice President, LAist Studios