Peyton LeDrew
MCO 425: Digital Media Literacy I
Quinlyn Shaughnessy
The Origins and Rise of the Moon Landing Conspiracy Theory
The Apollo 11 Mission
The Apollo 11 mission in 1969 marked humanity’s greatest achievement: landing astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon. However, despite the overwhelming evidence supporting the moon landing, a persistent conspiracy theory claims the event was staged by NASA and the U.S. government. The controversy largely perpetuated through supposed anomalies in the footage, inconsistencies in photographs, and the political motivations behind the mission.
The Origin of the Conspiracy
The moon landing conspiracy theory gained traction after the publication of We Never Went to the Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle by Bill Kaysing in 1976. Kaysing was a former technical writer for Rocketdyne (a NASA contractor). He argued that the United States did not have the technology to safely land astronauts on the Moon and return them to Earth. This theory found a large audience due to growing public distrust in the government following events such as the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal.
The controversy was further fueled by media coverage, including the 2001 Fox TV special Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?, which popularized the idea that NASA faked the moon landing. Belief in the hoax was estimated to be 11% of Americans before this airing, rising to 20% afterward. That is one in every 10 to one in every 5 Americans.
Persuasion Tactics and Propaganda Used
Selective Use of Evidence: Conspiracy theorists often showcase photographic anomalies such as inconsistent shadows, a seemingly waving flag, and the absence of stars in lunar photos. These claims ignore scientific explanations and are often depicted without context or a proper understanding of the concepts at hand.
Appeal to Skepticism: By leveraging general distrust in the government, theorists position themselves as truth seekers uncovering deception. They indoctrinate individuals by making them believe they know more than the average person and cannot be controlled like the "sheep" that surround them.
Misinterpretation of Science: Many claims arise from a misunderstanding of physics and photography. For example, theorists argue that there are stars missing in photos while we have photos of stars in space. This claim ignores fundamental principles of exposure and contrast in photography. The Moon’s surface is illuminated by direct sunlight, making it extremely bright. When cameras are adjusted to capture details of the lunar surface and astronauts, the exposure time is too short to capture the faint light of distant stars—similar to how stars are not visible in daytime photos on Earth.
Another claim is that the flag appears to wave in the wind, implying an atmosphere. In reality, the flag was designed with a horizontal rod to keep it extended, and it only moves when disturbed by the astronauts planting it. With no air resistance, the fabric continues to move due to inertia before coming to a rest.
Hoaxers also point to non-parallel shadows as supposed evidence of studio lighting. However, this phenomenon is well explained by perspective and uneven lunar terrain. Shadows converge in photographs taken on Earth under the right conditions, such as on hilly landscapes or when viewed from a particular angle. These false claims, despite being easily debunked, are continuously regurgitated by conspiracy theorists without scientific basis.
Use of Media and Pseudoscience: Sensationalist documentaries, YouTube videos, and social media posts continue to propagate misinformation by framing questions that sow doubt, even when debunked by experts.
Is the Issue Resolved?
While the majority of scientists, historians, and experts confirm that the Apollo moon landings were real, a considerably large percentage of the public remains unconvinced. Efforts to counter the conspiracy include:
Public Statements by Astronauts: Buzz Aldrin and other Apollo astronauts have repeatedly reassured the authenticity of the missions. In one famous instance, Aldrin punched a moon landing denier who harassed him.
Scientific Evidence: High-resolution images from lunar reconnaissance orbiters have captured the Apollo landing sites, including equipment left behind by astronauts, buggy tire tracks, and astronaut footprints on the lunar soil. Other countries, including Russia and China, have independently published pictures of the Apollo landing sites. They also agree that the moon landings did, in fact, happen.
Transparency from NASA: NASA has declassified thousands of mission documents, including audio recordings and footage, to verify the authenticity of the missions. Over 8,000 photos and thousands of hours of footage are available to the public.
General Public Acceptance
Most people accept the moon landings as fact, thanks to decades of scientific validation, ongoing space exploration, and advancements in technology. However, with the rise of social media, misinformation persists and moon landing hoax theories still circulate. To this day, Fox’s Did We Land on the Moon? is available on Netflix for millions to watch and Kaysing's We Never Went to the Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle is still floating around online, unfortunately. The best approach to countering such misinformation is continued education, public engagement, and promoting scientific literacy. Science is designed to be challenged, provoked, and tested. But conspiracy theorists only deny and do not back their claims. If you are skeptical in science, you should be equally skeptical with conspiracy, and pursue research for both sides of every argument.
References & Additional Reading
NASA’s official Apollo mission records
Scientific rebuttals to moon hoax theories
Coverage of the Fox TV special and its impact
Moon landing conspiracy theories debunked