The Apollo moon landing program was a great feat of human exploration of the universe, but there have been voices of skepticism since its execution. The pros and cons are at loggerheads. The controversy has been going on for more than half a century, and both sides have put forward their own and evidence, but so far the mystery has not been fully resolved.
The main skeptic
The flag flutters suspiciously
In the video of the Apollo 11 mission, the American flag appears to be fluttering in the wind on the surface of the moon. But the Moon is a vacuum, and theoretically there should be no wind. This has become one of the most common doubts raised by skeptics. They thought the scene was most likely filmed in a studio on Earth.
There is no doubt about the stars
In all the photos of the moon taken by the Apollo missions, there are no stars in sight. Skeptics argue that this is inconsistent with the fact that the Moon is not obscured by the atmosphere, and that the stars should be clearly visible. They suspect that the photo has been altered.
The length of the shadow is not in doubt
In different photographs, the shadows cast by objects such as lunar rovers and astronauts vary in length. Skeptics believe that in a single-light environment such as the moon, the shadow length should be fixed, and the difference in shadows in the photograph reflects the presence of multiple light sources, most likely the result of studio shooting.
Videotape loss suspicious
The original tapes of the Apollo 11 mission were thought to have been lost for a long time. Skeptics argue that this is NASA's deliberate destruction of evidence.
Questioning of technical capabilities
Some skeptics even expressed doubts about whether NASA had the technical capabilities needed to carry out the Apollo program back then. They believed that the moon landing was just a hoax in order to bring down the Soviet Union in the Cold War.
Evidence in favor of the moon landing
Lunar laser mirror evidence
The Apollo mission left three laser mirrors on the moon. Scientists can emit lasers from Earth and receive signals reflected back from these mirrors. This is one of the direct physical evidence of the moon landing.
The composition of lunar soil is unique
The Apollo mission brought back a large number of samples of lunar rocks and lunar soil, which passed through a completely different composition from the Earth's rocks and had unique lunar characteristics. These samples cannot be faked on Earth.
A third-party detector photographs the ruins
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2009, photographed the wreckage of the lunar module and the ruts of the lunar rover at the Apollo landing site. This is objective evidence from a third party.
Confirmed by Soviet unmanned detectors
The former Soviet Union launched an unmanned probe to orbit the moon and carried out long-tracking surveillance of the Apollo mission. The Soviet Union has never openly questioned the authenticity of the moon landing.
A large number of engineering documents and video materials
NASA retains a large number of technical documents such as engineering design documents, construction drawings, and test reports, as well as a large number of unpublished video materials, which provide a large number of supporting materials for the authenticity of the lunar landing program.
The two sides are at the point of contention
Conspiracy motives exist
Skeptics argue that NASA had a motive to falsify the moon landings during the Cold War in order to demoralize the Soviet Union. But proponents argue that NASA has no need to do so because the moon landing is a major victory in itself.
How confident the evidence is
The parties disagree on the credibility of the evidence presented by their respective parties. Skeptics argue that the evidence provided by NASA could be falsified, while proponents insist that it is beyond question.
Divergence in technical capacity assessments
Skeptics were skeptical of NASA's technical capabilities back then, arguing that a moon landing was impossible. But proponents argue that NASA has all the technical requirements to carry out the Apollo program.
Interpretation of image details diverges
The two sides have different interpretations of the details in the moon landing images. Skeptics argue that some details are questionable, while proponents give sound scientific explanations.
The Apollo moon landing program left behind a lot of physical and written evidence, but there are also some doubts that have not been fully solved. The arguments between the two sides are ongoing. A return to the moon may be the final answer, and the long-running debate will come to an end.