Table of Contents
- Kim Kardashian’s Moon Landing Doubts
- NASA Sets the Record Straight
- What Buzz Aldrin Actually Said
- Artemis II: America’s Return to the Moon
- Why Moon Landing Conspiracies Persist
- Sources
Kim Kardashian Questions Apollo 11 Moon Landing
In a recent episode of her Hulu reality series The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian reignited a decades-old conspiracy theory by claiming the 1969 moon landing never happened. While scrolling through her phone during a conversation with actress Sarah Paulson, Kardashian read aloud from an unverified online article that falsely quoted astronaut Buzz Aldrin as saying, “There was no scary moment because it didn’t happen.”
“I think it was fake,” Kardashian told Paulson. “I’ve seen a few videos on Buzz Aldrin talking about how it didn’t happen. He says it all the time now, in interviews.” She added she’d send “a million” such articles to her co-star.
Paulson responded with curiosity, saying she was “going to go on a serious deep dive”—prompting concern among space enthusiasts and scientists alike.
NASA Responds: “Yes, We’ve Been to the Moon—6 Times!”
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy wasted no time addressing the misinformation. On X (formerly Twitter), Duffy posted a direct reply: “Yes, we’ve been to the Moon before. 6 times!”
Duffy, himself a former reality TV personality from MTV’s The Real World and Road Rules in the 1990s, emphasized the agency’s historic achievements and future ambitions. He also extended a personal invitation to Kardashian to attend the upcoming Artemis II launch at Kennedy Space Center—an offer she has yet to accept.
Moon Landing Facts vs. Fiction
| Moon Landing Fact | Conspiracy Claim |
|---|---|
| Apollo 11 landed July 20, 1969 | “It was filmed in a studio” |
| 12 astronauts walked on the Moon (1969–1972) | “No one ever went” |
| Lunar samples brought back match Moon geology | “Rocks were faked” |
| Independent tracking confirmed mission trajectory | “Only NASA knew the truth” |
Buzz Aldrin Has Never Denied the Moon Landing
Contrary to Kardashian’s claim, Buzz Aldrin—now 95 years old—has consistently defended the authenticity of the Apollo 11 mission. One of the most iconic images in human history shows Aldrin standing on the lunar surface, photographed by Neil Armstrong.
Numerous interviews, public appearances, and even legal actions (Aldrin once punched a moon-landing denier in 2019) underscore his unwavering stance. The quote Kardashian cited appears to originate from satirical or fabricated sources, not credible journalism.
Artemis II: Preparing for Humanity’s Lunar Return
NASA plans to send four astronauts on the Artemis II mission in early 2026. While they won’t land, the crew will orbit the Moon—the closest humans have come since Apollo 17 in 1972.
“We won the last space race and we will win this one too!” Duffy declared, signaling renewed U.S. leadership in space exploration amid growing global competition.
Why Do Moon Landing Conspiracies Still Circulate?
Despite overwhelming evidence—including lunar laser reflectors still used today, high-resolution photos from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and international verification—the myth endures. Experts attribute this to:
- Mistrust in government institutions
- Viral misinformation on social media
- Misinterpretation of archival footage
- Celebrity amplification (like Kardashian’s comments)
Scientists stress the importance of media literacy and fact-checking—especially when public figures lend credibility to debunked theories.
