Moon Landing Exploratory Essay
Moon Landing 1969
“Ignition sequence starts, three, two, one, all engine running, zero, lift off.” On July 16th 9:32 a.m., Apollo 11 was successfully launched as millions watched. Indeed, the lunar mission of the Apollo 11 was a new break through in the field of space exploration. Soon after, however, many controversies were raised on the authenticity of this event. Many critics of the lunar landing believe that this event was a hoax perpetuated to deceive the society. The debate, whether the moon landing of 1969 was a hoax or a true event, continues today.
The space race, during the Cold War, all started with the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Although this shiny piece of metal ball sent meaningless “beep-beep” signals back to earth, it had a profound effect on the thinking of citizens and government around the globe, especially on the United States. As tensions and pressures were building, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created in 1958, to bring competing military space programs into one effort. Soon, they developed the rockets, built the space capsules and satellites, and hired astronauts to become space men. In addition, the United States government realized there was a new frontier to be explored: the moon. As a result, putting a man on the moon became an official governmental priority and the Apollo moon-landing program was established. In 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first humans to walk on the moon. Controversies about the moon landing began shortly after when Bill Kaysing, a moon hoax investigator, published We never went to the Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Swindle in 1974. In addition, an organization called the Flat Earth Society, was the first to accuse NASA of faking the moon landing. Soon after, more and more people, like scientists, professors or amateurs became concerned and wanted the find out the answer: if the moon landing of 1969 was a hoax or a real event.
“Ignition sequence starts, three, two, one, all engine running, zero, lift off.” On July 16th 9:32 a.m., Apollo 11 was successfully launched as millions watched. Indeed, the lunar mission of the Apollo 11 was a new break through in the field of space exploration. Soon after, however, many controversies were raised on the authenticity of this event. Many critics of the lunar landing believe that this event was a hoax perpetuated to deceive the society. The debate, whether the moon landing of 1969 was a hoax or a true event, continues today.
The space race, during the Cold War, all started with the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Although this shiny piece of metal ball sent meaningless “beep-beep” signals back to earth, it had a profound effect on the thinking of citizens and government around the globe, especially on the United States. As tensions and pressures were building, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created in 1958, to bring competing military space programs into one effort. Soon, they developed the rockets, built the space capsules and satellites, and hired astronauts to become space men. In addition, the United States government realized there was a new frontier to be explored: the moon. As a result, putting a man on the moon became an official governmental priority and the Apollo moon-landing program was established. In 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first humans to walk on the moon. Controversies about the moon landing began shortly after when Bill Kaysing, a moon hoax investigator, published We never went to the Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Swindle in 1974. In addition, an organization called the Flat Earth Society, was the first to accuse NASA of faking the moon landing. Soon after, more and more people, like scientists, professors or amateurs became concerned and wanted the find out the answer: if the moon landing of 1969 was a hoax or a real event.
Cited: Moffet, John, Dir. Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon? Perf. Thomas Ronald Baron, Paul Fjeld, Mitch Pileggi, and Bill Kaysing. FOX Broadcasting Company, 2001. Film. 26 Feb 2012. Newport, Frank. "Landing a Man on the Moon: The Public’s View." Gallup News Service 20 July 1999: N. pag. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. Phillips, Tony. “The Great Moon Hoax.” NASA Science, 2001. 26 Feb 2012. Plait, Philip C.. Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing “Hoax.” New York: Wiley, 2002.