Apollo moon landing faked

This week, as the feat of landing on the Moon celebrates its 46th anniversary, Apollo 11 mission’s Buzz Aldrin and Professor Brian Cox have taken to Twitter to call out the conspiracy theorists

Aldrin was the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11’s mission on 20 July 1969. He was also the second person to walk on the moon after Neil Armstrong.

During Monday’s anniversary, Aldrin shared his memories and photos from the mission on Twitter.

In one tweet he said: ‘It's the 46th Anniversary Apollo 11 moon landing. Mankind's first small step. The next giant leap will be #Mars.’

In others he explained that the surface of the moon was like talcum powder and felt ‘squishy’ under his feet.

Retaliation: Buzz Aldrin was the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11’s mission on 20 July 1969. He was also the second person to walk on the moon after Neil Armstrong

Professor Cox to tweeted: 'I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you don't think Apollo 11 landed on Moon you should get a new brain'

And in one tweet, he posted a photo of himself leaving the lander with the caption: ‘As I made my way down the ladder I partially closed the hatch. Being careful not to lock it on my way out.’

But as the rest of Twitter started posting their own tweets about the anniversary, other users replied calling the mission a fake.

This led to Professor Cox tweeting: I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you don't think Apollo 11 landed on Moon you are a colossal n*b end & should get a new brain, ’ and Aldrin retweeting this with the comment: ‘@ProfBrianCox is a pretty smart guy. Also the Russians would have exposed by now if we didn't land.’

One directly replied to Aldrin saying: ‘Buzz I think the reason you want us to go to Mars so bad is because another lunar landing would prove you weren't there.

‘Why has no country attempted to put a man on the moon!? Maybe Because it's not possible! Wake up people!’

Aldrin was the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11’s mission on 20 July 1969. He was also the second person to walk on the moon after Neil Armstrong

APOLLO MISSION CONSPIRACY THEORIES ANSWERED

Why are no stars visible in the Apollo photos?

The Apollo landings took place during lunar mornings so the stars were not bright enough to be captured on camera.

Who filmed Neil Armstrong take the first steps?

A video camera was fixed on an extending arm to swing out and capture the historic moment.

Why did the heavy Landing Modules make no impression on the surface, while the astronauts' footprints did?

The layer of lunar dust on the rocky moon is thin, so was blown away from the landing area by the descent engines. This dust resettled by the time the astronauts left the module.

Why does the flag wave?

It was rigged with a rod and wires so that it would look as if it was unfurled and blowing in Apollo photographs.

Why didn't the Lunar module show a flame when it took off from the Moon?

The fuel used does not produce a flame in a vacuum.

Another said: ‘It’s not the moon landing that's in question, it's the footage they showed to the public that is obviously fake.’

During the mission, Aldrin and Armstrong spent two and a half hours collecting lunar material and studying the moon before heading back to Earth.

But footage from the mission and piece of lunar rock went missing when it was brought back to Earth, which theories believe is part of the cover-up.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you don't think Apollo 11 landed on Moon you are a colossal nob end & should get a new brain

— Brian Cox (@ProfBrianCox)

Others question why there are no stars visible in the Apollo photos, who filmed Neil Armstrong take the first steps and why did the heavy landing modules make no impression on the surface, while the astronauts' footprints did.

Last month, Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Russian government's Investigative Committee, even cast official doubt on the first moon landings and demanded an investigation into what really happened.

In an opinion piece in the Russian newspaper Izvestia, Mr Markin said that such an inquiry is vital to reveal new insights into the historical space journey.

His comments are certain to be seen as a deliberate attempt to suggest there is reason to doubt the lunar landing was real - especially as he also attacked the US investigation into FIFA corruption.

@ChuckNellis @TAGOS22 The Moon landing were fake it is impossible for man to travel thru the Van Allen Radiation Belt and have not went back

— Ron Nussbeck (@RonNussbeck)

The theories have pervaded for so long that Nasa released a series of photos in 2011 in the hope it would satisfy the sceptics.

RETURNING TO THE MOON

Earlier this week, a study commissioned by Nasa estimated the cost of returning humans to the moon could cost less than half of Apollo missions and within the space agency's current budget.

The study has revealed that the cost of sending humans back to the moon could cost up to 90 per cent less than expected by partnering with private companies and mining for lunar resources.