Sean Cate

Sean Cate

October 8, 2024

17 Myths and Facts About the Moon Landing

As one of the most iconic achievements of humanity, the Apollo 11 moon landing has been the subject of numerous myths, conspiracy theories, and misunderstandings. Let’s dive into 15+ popular moon landing myths and separate fact from fiction.

1. Myth: The Moon Landing Was Filmed by Stanley Kubrick

Man flying NASA lunar gear
Credit: Getty Images

One of the most enduring conspiracy theories is that the moon landing was filmed on a soundstage by legendary director Stanley Kubrick. This myth gained traction after a 2015 YouTube video featuring a fake “Kubrick confession.” In reality, the video was a hoax, and Kubrick had no involvement with NASA’s Apollo missions.1

Fact: The Apollo moon landing was not staged by Hollywood or Kubrick. Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” was released before the moon landing, but there’s no credible evidence that he faked the historic event.2

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2. Myth: Neil Armstrong Said “Good Luck, Mr. Gorsky” on the Moon

Neil Armstrong
Credit: NASA

This humorous urban legend claims that Neil Armstrong, upon stepping onto the moon, said, “Good luck, Mr. Gorsky.” The story involves a supposed overheard conversation between Armstrong’s neighbors about a hilarious bet. However, this is purely fictional.

Fact: NASA‘s official transcripts prove that Armstrong never uttered those words. The joke was popularized by comedian Buddy Hackett and had no basis in reality.

3. Myth: Buzz Aldrin Admitted the Moon Landing Was a Hoax

The Apollo 11 crew, from left: from left, Neil Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot, conducting a crew compartment fit and functional check, of the equipment and storage locations, in their command module.
Credit: NASA

In 2018, a manipulated video appeared online showing Buzz Aldrin supposedly confessing to a child that the moon landing never happened. However, the video was misleadingly edited, cutting out crucial parts of Aldrin’s response.

Fact: Buzz Aldrin did not admit the moon landing was a hoax. His answer in the original video was misinterpreted, and the child’s question related to why humans hadn’t returned to the moon recently.

4. Myth: Astronauts Removed Their Helmets on the Moon

Portrait of the prime crew of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. From left to right they are: Commander, Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot, Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. On July 20th 1969 at 4:18 PM, EDT the Lunar Module "Eagle" landed in a region of the Moon called the Mare Tranquillitatis, also known as the Sea of Tranquillity. After securing his spacecraft, Armstrong radioed back to earth: "Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed". At 10:56 p.m. that same evening, Neil Armstrong stepped off the "Eagle's landing pad onto the lunar surface and said: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." He became the first human to set foot upon the Moon.
Credit: NASA

A viral photo purported to show astronauts without their helmets on the lunar surface, fueling the conspiracy that the moon landing was faked in a studio.

Fact: This photo was actually taken during a training exercise on Earth, not the moon. Apollo 16 astronauts were practicing at Kennedy Space Center before their mission, where they didn’t need helmets.

5. Myth: There Are No Stars in the Apollo Photos

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot, walks on the surface of the Moon. Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, took this photograph with a 70mm lunar surface camera.
Credit: NASA

One commonly cited “proof” of a fake moon landing is the lack of visible stars in the photos taken by astronauts on the lunar surface. Some conspiracy theorists claim that if the landing were real, the sky would have been filled with stars.

Fact: The absence of stars is due to the exposure settings of the cameras used on the lunar surface. The bright surface of the moon outshone the faint light from distant stars.3

6. Myth: The American Flag Fluttered in the Moon’s Wind

Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, Apollo ll mission commander, at the modular equipment storage assembly of the Lunar Module "Eagle" on the historic first extravehicular activity on the lunar surface.
Credit: NASA

Images from the moon landing show the American flag fluttering, which skeptics claim is impossible due to the lack of atmosphere on the moon.

Fact: The flag appears to flutter because it was supported by a horizontal rod. The flag was disturbed during the planting, and without an atmosphere, it remained in that position, giving the illusion of movement.

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7. Myth: The Lunar Module Left No Marks on the Surface

The surface of the moon, with no discernible marks left on it
Credit: Unsplash

Conspiracy theorists point to photos showing astronauts’ footprints on the moon but no obvious marks where the heavy lunar module landed.

Fact: The lunar module’s weight was distributed over a larger area than the astronauts’ boots, resulting in less pronounced marks. The moon’s dust also contributed to the visibility of the astronauts’ footprints.

8. Myth: NASA Chose Neil Armstrong to Be the First Man on the Moon Due to His Civilian Status

President Richard M. Nixon was in the central Pacific recovery area to welcome the Apollo 11 astronauts aboard the U.S.S. Hornet, prime recovery ship for the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.
Credit: NASA

It was often speculated that Neil Armstrong was selected to be the first man on the moon because he was a civilian, making the U.S. space program appear peaceful during the Cold War.

Fact: Armstrong’s civilian status played no role in NASA’s decision. He was chosen due to his skills and leadership qualities, although NASA did consider other commanders for the mission.

9. Myth: Armstrong’s First Words Were Scripted

Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong speaks during a celebration dinner at Ohio State University honoring former U.S. Sen. and astronaut John Glenn's 50th anniversary of his flight aboard Friendship 7 on Feb. 20, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio.
Credit: Getty Images

Many believe that Neil Armstrong’s famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” were written by NASA’s public relations team.

Fact: Armstrong came up with the phrase himself, only deciding what to say after the lunar module had landed. NASA officials had no input into his historic statement.

10. Myth: The Moon Landing Was Shot on a Soundstage

The Apollo 11 Lunar Module "Eagle", in a landing configuration is photographed in lunar orbit from the Command and Service Modules "Columbia."
Credit: NASA

This theory suggests that the entire Apollo 11 mission was a massive cover-up, with the landing being filmed on a soundstage by NASA.

Fact: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter images show the landing sites, including tracks left by astronauts and equipment. These provide solid evidence that the moon landings were real.

11. Myth: Neil Armstrong Flubbed His Iconic Moon Quote

Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship #1 after a research flight. The X-15 was a missile-shaped, rocket-powered aircraft 50 feet long with a wingspan of 22 feet. It set the world's unofficial speed and altitude records. Information gained from the highly successful X-15 program contributed to the development of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo manned spaceflight programs, and also the Space Shuttle program.
Credit: NASA

Many argue that Neil Armstrong misspoke when he said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” leaving out the word “a” before “man.”

Fact: Armstrong himself claimed that he intended to say, “That’s one small step for a man.” However, poor audio transmission made the “a” difficult to hear, leading to decades of debate.

12. Myth: The Chinese Lunar Rover Found No Evidence of the Moon Landing

The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module (CSM) are being mated to the Saturn V Lunar Module Adapter.
Credit: NASA

A satirical article once claimed that China’s Chang’e 4 probe found no evidence of the American moon landings, fueling speculation about a cover-up.

Fact: The article was intended as satire. China’s lunar rover mission has no bearing on the authenticity of the Apollo missions, which are well-documented by scientific evidence.

13. Myth: Neil Armstrong Converted to Islam After Hearing The Azan on the Moon

Neil Armstrong was a test pilot at the Dryden Flight Research Center in the 1950s and early '60s. He is seen here operating the Iron Cross Attitude Simulator reaction controls simulating the X-15.
Credit: NASA

An odd myth circulating online claimed that Neil Armstrong converted to Islam after hearing the Muslim call to prayer while on the moon.

Fact: Armstrong repeatedly denied this claim throughout his life, and there is no factual basis for the story. It is one of many internet hoaxes associated with the moon landing.

14. Myth: NASA Lost the Original Moon Landing Footage

This still from a video uploaded to YouTube by Toronto 17-year-olds Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad shows their homemade balloon launch of a Lego minifigure into the stratosphere to catch views of near space.
Credit: Youtube

Some conspiracy theorists claim that NASA lost or destroyed the original footage of the Apollo 11 moon landing, using this as evidence to suggest a cover-up.

Fact: NASA did not lose the footage, but the original tapes were recorded over due to data storage practices at the time. However, high-quality copies of the footage have been preserved and restored from various sources, ensuring that the iconic moments from the Apollo 11 landing are still available to the public.

15. Myth: NASA Is Hiding Evidence of Alien Life Discovered on the Moon

A gate to Homey Airport/ Area 51.
Credit: David James Henry

Some conspiracy theories suggest that NASA has covered up evidence of alien structures or technology discovered during the Apollo missions.

Fact: There is no credible evidence that astronauts encountered alien life on the moon. NASA’s lunar missions focused on scientific research and exploration.

16. Myth: Armstrong’s Boots Don’t Match the Footprints on the Moon

Astronaut walking around on the moon
Credit: Getty Images

A viral photo comparing Armstrong’s spacesuit boots with the famous lunar footprint led to claims that the moon landing was faked.

Fact: The footprint on the moon was left by Buzz Aldrin, not Neil Armstrong. The boots seen in the Smithsonian photo were Armstrong’s, which explains the discrepancy.

17. Myth: The Great Wall of China Can Be Seen from the Moon

great wall of China
Credit: Unsplashs

A common myth claims that the Great Wall of China is visible from the moon with the naked eye. Many believe this because of the wall’s immense length and historical significance.

Fact: The Great Wall of China is not visible from the moon. Even from low Earth orbit, astronauts have difficulty spotting the wall. At an average width of only 30 feet, it’s too narrow to be seen from such distances, especially from the moon, which is about 238,000 miles away from Earth.

This myth likely originated from early misconceptions about human-made structures being visible from space, but in reality, only larger geographical features, like continents and bodies of water, are discernible from the moon.

Conclusion

The moon
Credit: Unsplash

Despite the persistent myths surrounding the Apollo 11 mission, the overwhelming evidence supports the reality of the moon landing. Through photographic documentation, scientific research, and the testimony of the astronauts themselves, the Apollo missions remain one of the greatest achievements of human exploration.

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Sources

  1. The 11 biggest myths about Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon.” CBS News. July 18, 2014.
  2. 20 Myths and Facts About the Moon Landing.” Snopes. Shannon Sanford. February 29, 2024.
  3. 25 space conspiracies debunked.” Space. Elizabeth Howell and Ailsa Harvey. August 25, 2022.