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25 Space Conspiracies That Just Won’t Die 25

25 Space Conspiracies

That Just Won't Die

By Elizabeth Howell

Space Conspiracies

On the internet, you need to be a skeptical reader
these days. Claims of aliens and UFOs, Mars
being abnormally big, or the moon turning green
are the kinds of things you should check out
carefully. Here are some of the biggest space
myths that just won't go away.

The Apollo moon landings were faked.

Twelve NASA astronauts walked on the moon
between 1969 and 1972, and the Lunar
Reconnaissance Orbiter has since released new
photos of the landing sites. In the decades since
Apollo 11 astronauts first set foot on the moon,
many theories have been put forward claiming
that the whole Apollo program was staged. Why
are there no stars in the sky in the moonwalkers'
photos? Why are the U.S. flags fluttering on the
surface? Why do you see footprints in the
pictures, but no marks from the lunar modules
that landed there?
The answers to those questions are
simpler than you may think. There are no stars in
the sky for the same reason you don't see stars
during the day on Earth: The bright glow of Not convinced? Try watching a rocket Planet Nine will kill us.
daylight on the surface washes them out. U.S. launch for yourself, or see the space station and
flags planted into the lunar soil had metal rods other satellites with your own eyes with the help In April 2016, the New York Post tweeted, "A
sewn in them to appear as though they were of a satellite tracker. newly discovered planet could destroy Earth as
moving. Without these wires, the flag would soon as this month." The newspaper was
have hung straight down, making for a pretty The Earth is flat. referring to Planet Nine, a theoretical planet at
lackluster photo prop. And the lunar modules, the edge of the solar system. An accompanying
though heavier, didn't put prominent marks in This myth is so popular that there is even a video also claimed that the new planet would be
the surface in some places because their mass group named after it: the Flat Earth Society. throwing all sorts of asteroids and comets at
was more evenly distributed than the astronauts' Members of the organization argue that the Earth, which would supposedly end up
weight was in their boots. horizon is always at eye level, which they say pummeling our planet.

would not be possible if the Earth were round. Although the planet's existence has not
NASA is a lie. They also say there is no full movie of the Earth been confirmed, astronomers are actively
rotating from space — which is not true, as looking for it to explain motions of some objects
Some folks actually believe NASA's whole NASA has published multiple videos taken from in the icy Kuiper Belt, a vast region of icy
function is not to explore space, but to generate satellites, including a live video of Earth from objects beyond Neptune. If the planet is actually
space-related hoaxes. (The Apollo moon landing the ISS, which orbits our planet 16 times per found, the California Institute of Technology's
is a famous example that we'll explore in the day. Mike Brown (who is one of the original backers
next slide.) People who believe this conspiracy, One way of demonstrating to yourself of the Planet Nine theory) says the planet will
sometimes flagged with the hashtag that the Earth is round is to consider how orbits pose no threat to us.
"#NASAhoax" on social media, will say that of satellites work. Satellites constantly "fall"
amazing space pictures of Mars, Pluto and even around the Earth as they are pulled around by Alien research is happening at Area 51.
Earth are fake, computer-generated imagery our planet's gravity; they just need to be
(CGI). [Video: NASA Employees 'Welcome' traveling fast enough at a high enough altitude to The 1996 movie "Independence Day" is one of
You to the Space Agency] not slam into the atmosphere. Or, you can look the sources of the Area 51 hoax, which claims
In reality, NASA was formed in 1958 "to at the amazing pictures taken by astronauts at that aliens and their technology — recovered
provide for research into problems of flight the ISS. from crashed flying saucers — are being studied
within and outside the Earth's atmosphere, and Still not sold? Watch Neil deGrasse secretly at a classified military base about 80
for other purposes," according to the National Tyson lay out the facts in a rap battle with B.o.B. miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Las Vegas
Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which then- "The Earth looks flat because you aren't far in the Nevada desert. Some people in the area
president Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law enough away at your size," Tyson explains. around the base claim that they have seen
shortly after the start of the space race against "Your size isn't large enough relative to Earth to strange flights out of this area.
the Soviet Union. Since then, NASA has notice any curvature at all." (Continued on Page 28)
launched hundreds of satellites into orbit around
Earth, the moon and several other worlds. In THE ‘X’ ZONE BROADCAST NETWORK
fact, NASA spacecraft have orbited, flown by or www.XZBN.net
landed on every planet in the solar system. “Searching for Answers, Demanding the Truth.”
NASA also sends astronauts into orbit, where Listen 24/7/365 at
they conduct research at the International Space
Station (ISS). www.XZBN.net