`The Moon Landings Were (NOT) Faked - Frequently Asked Questions`

This Frequently asked questions (FAQ) is maintained by Jim Scotti. This FAQ is intended to address the accusations put forth by "The Moon Landings Were Faked" (TMLWF) crowd. The TMLWFers are a small cottage industry who claim that we never went to the moon during the Apollo program. They claim that the images are not only fakes, but poor fakes which lack such details as stars in the black sky of the moon and blast craters under the Lunar Module. They also claim that the lighting and shadows indicate multiple light sources. To the uninformed or manon the street, these arguments may seem quite reasonable, but under any sort of scrutiny, they do not hold water. Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence. The evidence that we went to the moon with Apollo is extraordinary, while the claims that we did not fall far short.

Who are the TMWLFers?

In general, they are prone to believe in conspiracies and tend to believe their theories religously. For example, one TMLWFer, Mr. Kevin Overstreet makes the following statement on his website:

"I challenge all that read this page to find something wrong with it, and tell m e about it, so I can more accurately disprove (emphasis mine) one of the most historical events of the century...."

Mr. Overstreet has set out to disprove the Apollo lunar landings at all cost, regardless of the evidence we may present to him. He implies here that he is prepared to counter any evidence the would be de-bunker can provide. His goal is clear and transcends the facts. Disprove at all cost.

Some have written books or produced videos and many have websites expounding on their theories. One has to wonder whether perhaps some of them are motivated by the desire to make some money off of their efforts, counting on the popularity of conspiracy theories in this X-Files world we live in.

Some specific TMLWFers

Bill Kaysing: Authored We never went to the Moon
Ralph Rene: Authored the book NASA Mooned America which expunds on the typical TMLWF issues, many of which can be found in this FAQ. Also authored Was it only a paper Moon
Mary Bennett and David S. Percy: Authors of the book Dark Moon which claims that the astronauts who supposedly went to the moon actually never left Earth orbit while un-named crews actually carried out the lunar explorations. The high profile crews announced to the public supposedly were kept beneath the "dangerous radiation belts." Of course, their story doesn't stop with Apollo, but delves into such topics as Extraterrestrials at Roswell, the Moon and Mars. Conspiracy theories abound in these authors hyperactive imaginations. And of course crop circles make and appearance in this book....
William Brian: Authored Moongate
James M. Collier: Created video called It's only a paper Moon.

Common theories & their counter arguments.

The landings were faked and filmed on a sound stage, not in space.

The TMLWF crowd claim that the moon landings were faked by elaborate Hollywood style film fakery on some secret sound stage. Lets stop to ponder this for a moment. Think of the best special effects movies that you have ever seen. Now think of the inconsistencies and visual errors that even the casual and uninformed audience can see in these films. Now think back to 1969 and the movies that were made then. Could we have produced such fakery that it would not only stand up to the scrutiny of a 1969 audience, but also a whole generation of scientists familiar with the geologic study of celestial bodies? In fact, the only ones to find fault in this record is a small "cottage industry" group of TMLWFers.