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NASA has publicly dismissed reality star Kim Kardashian's assertion that the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing was staged, reigniting a decades-old debate between science and celebrity-fueled conspiracy theories. Kardashian's comments came during an episode of The Kardashians, where she told co-star Sarah Paulson that she believed the moon landing "didn't happen."
NASA's acting administrator Sean Duffy responded directly on social media, tagging Kardashian and writing, "Yes, we've been to the Moon before—six times!" His post also promoted NASA's ongoing Artemis mission, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface under the leadership of Donald Trump's administration.
Kardashian claimed to have seen interviews with astronaut Buzz Aldrin in which he supposedly admitted the landing was fake, a quote that experts have since identified as fabricated. While it remains unclear which article she was referencing, her remarks spread rapidly online, drawing criticism from scientists and historians alike.
NASA's rebuttal came swiftly, emphasizing that every conspiracy theory surrounding the moon landing has been debunked by extensive physical, photographic, and video evidence. The Institute of Physics reiterated that all claims of forgery have long been disproven, citing lunar rock samples and live telemetry data from the Apollo missions.
Despite the ridicule, Kardashian's comments reflect a broader trend of misinformation thriving in the social media age, where entertainment figures can amplify fringe ideas to massive audiences. Duffy later invited Kardashian to witness the Artemis mission launch firsthand, perhaps hoping that seeing modern space exploration up close might convert skepticism into awe.
While Kardashian's fascination with conspiracies may make for entertaining television, NASA's patient yet firm response served as a reminder that science is built on verifiable evidence, not viral opinions. Over half a century after Neil Armstrong's famous step, the agency remains determined to defend one of humanity's greatest achievements against the pull of celebrity speculation and online myth-making.
