Originally posted by M31@Apr 9 2003, 09:22 AM
I have always had a fascination with space and astronomy and even though there is probably more literature produced on these subjects than could be housed in an aircraft hanger I think most people (me included) still regard space as something that we really know very little about.
I went to a lecture last night given by a very eminent and will remain unnamed astrophysicist who is convinced (and now I am very unsure) that the moon landings did not take place.
His arguments were built upon the following;
1. The technological requirements for such a venture were unobtainable. *Just as the Space Shuttle relies on technology first produced in the late 1970's so Appollo technology was built upon very inneficient rocket technology from the 1930's and 1940's much of it gleaned from the German V2 programme.
2. Given the inneficient technology and the pinpoint accuracy required to land particularly in the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon the stakes would have been 1,000,000 to 1 against a successful landing being achievable.
3. *Then there is the actual film and camera footage from space. *He produced a whole raft of information from astronaut shadows facing the wrong way, doctored photographs, even pictures of the stars and stripes fluttering on the moon surface which is a windless environment.
4. Then there is the issue about how do you cover it up. His argument is that in essence this is easily achieveable. There is no doubt that the Appollo rockets did take off so there you are able to cut alot of people out of the loop. *Then you only need a small team of people to create blurred images in a makeshift studio at somehwhere like Area 51 the obvious choice for something like this to be created
I would dearly love to have my (up until now) lifelong belief that the moon landings took place. at present I have big doubts.
What do the collective minds here think?
What do I think? That you are being confused by paranoid conspiracy theories
People have been cligning onto a lot of apparent inconsistencies in the photographs. You may find this site useful:
http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/foxapollo.html . It details each of the popular claims about the photographs being falsified, and shows in-depth technical explanations as to why they are in fact correct. You mentioned for example that the flag is waving. Look closley at the original photograph (
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/as11-40-5874.jpg). It can be clarly seen there is a pole perpendicular to the mast keeping the flag from simple shrivling up. The material is creased and wavy, but there is no evidence to suggest wind. The page I mentioned had detailed explanations of the shaddows you mentioned, etc.
As for proof, that's easy. The Apollo program has left laser reflectors on the moon (
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclips...olloLaser.html). These reflectors have been 'pinged' by many organizations independent from NASA and the U.S. government, including schools and government programs in the U.K., France, Japan, and even the former Soviet Union (what reason would they possibly have to back up false U.S. claims?), Canada and others. Anyone with the money to rent a properly equipped telescope and the necessary laser equipment can verify this. Including the skeptics.