Moon Astronaut Reacts to Moon Landing Deniers
Charlie Duke, the youngest person ever to walk on the Moon, is here to clear up some of the most popular conspiracy theories surrounding the Apollo 16 mission and the historic Moon landings. Duke, who served as the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 16 in 1972, is one of only 12 humans to have set foot on the lunar surface. Today, he’s debunking four of the most common moon landing myths with facts, personal experience, and expert knowledge.
Theory 1: Fuel Miscalculations A frequent claim is that the spacecraft didn’t have enough fuel to make it to the Moon. Charlie explains that this is a major misunderstanding. Spacecraft don’t need constant fuel to keep going once they’re on their way. In space, there’s no air resistance, so once you start moving toward the Moon, the spacecraft will continue its path until the astronauts use fuel to slow it down for landing. The Apollo missions used a clever trajectory plan that relied on Earth’s gravity to slow the spacecraft down as it approached the Moon, avoiding the need for excess fuel.
Theory 2: No Stars in the Moon Photos Some skeptics point to the lack of stars in photos taken on the Moon as evidence that they were taken in a studio. But Charlie debunks this by explaining the basic physics of space. The Moon lacks an atmosphere, so the sky doesn’t appear blue, and because the Sun is so bright, stars aren’t visible in photos taken during the day on the Moon. It’s just like how we can’t see stars during the day here on Earth.
Theory 3: The Moon Landing Was a Hoax The idea that the Moon landing was staged in a Hollywood basement is a claim that Charlie vehemently rejects. The evidence, including photos taken by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows clear images of the Apollo landing sites, proving that humans did, in fact, land on the Moon.
Theory 4: Why Haven’t We Gone Back? A common question from conspiracy theorists is why we haven’t returned to the Moon since 1972. Charlie explains that after Apollo, NASA shifted focus to the Space Shuttle and building the International Space Station. The Moon landings were incredibly successful, and NASA’s budget was reallocated to newer projects. But now, with the Artemis missions and plans to send humans back to the Moon in the coming years, Charlie’s optimism about humanity’s future in space is clear.
As technology advances and with private space companies like SpaceX pushing the boundaries, the dream of reaching Mars and beyond is closer than ever.
