Did we go to the moon?

[localzuk]

XKCD's image today lead to an argument in the office here, where one of our staff refuses to believe that we have been to the moon - even though we can test that we did using simple equipment (ie. laser rangefinding tests, bouncing a laser beam off mirrors that were left up there).

 

So, where do you stand? Do you think we did it? Or was it all a Hollywood hoax?

[icttech]

We may have got to the moon, but i think they found something they don't want us to see, hense the reason for the HOAX.

[Steve21]

Honestly it's impossible to prove either way, without "you" physically going to check. (and then someone will call you a liar )

 

Those who agree with comment on mirrors/pictures etc. Those who don't will say its water/photoshop etc. Can't be proved either way.

 

End of day, without sounding like a downer, it's not like visiting the moon has done anything for us, or will until we start building there. Only then will it really matter

 

(And yes I'm sure someone will argue about "moon" technologies, but they could have been invented even if we failed to get there).

 

To my personal opinion, Yes we probably did get there, but are the photos etc real? Maybe not. (Remember even the mars nasa photos were "tweaked" to be more red than they're supposed to be, just because we think mars is red But it's still "real" photos as such)

 

Steve

[6Foot2]

No doubt in my mind whatsoever. All of the moon landings were real. Also all of the probes that have been sent out are real [Voyagers 1 and 2, Pioneer, Mariner...]

[localzuk]

Honestly it's impossible to prove either way, without "you" physically going to check. (and then someone will call you a liar )

 

Those who agree with comment on mirrors/pictures etc. Those who don't will say its water/photoshop etc. Can't be proved either way.

 

It CAN be proved, that's the point. See this article. The experiment can be repeated by anyone with the equipment, by bouncing a laser off the mirrors. If there were no mirrors, then there'd be no reflection.

 

End of day, without sounding like a downer, it's not like visiting the moon has done anything for us, or will until we start building there. Only then will it really matter

 

Except that it has done a massive amount for us. The amount of technology that came as a result of the moon landing missions was phenomenal! Just look at this very short list of NASA invented technologies, or technologies created from NASA tech. - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/5893387/Apollo-11-moon-landing-top-15-Nasa-inventions.html

[Steve21]

It CAN be proved, that's the point. See this article. The experiment can be repeated by anyone with the equipment, by bouncing a laser off the mirrors. If there were no mirrors, then there'd be no reflection.

 

 

Those who don't will say its water/photoshop etc

 

Water reflects too, as does crystal etc etc. And I'm sure anyone could argue as much as you say there's mirrors, that there isn't and it's water. Again, impossible to prove! :D

 

And "even" if everyone agrees its mirrors, why does that mean someone landed on the moon? could just be fired into it (Not saying it was, being devils advocate etc etc)

 

Steve

[localzuk]

Water reflects too, as does crystal etc etc. And I'm sure anyone could argue as much as you say there's mirrors, that there isn't and it's water. Again, impossible to prove! :D

 

And "even" if everyone agrees its mirrors, why does that mean someone landed on the moon? could just be fired into it (Not saying it was, being devils advocate etc etc)

 

Steve

 

Again, all of that is scientifically provable. Water has different properties, as do crystals etc... So, reflected laser light will have a completely different behaviour on its return journey based on what it reflects from.

 

And 'fired into it'... Well... Considering the base part of Lunar landers can be seen using high power cameras, along with the lunar rover tracks left behind, I'm gonna go with 'demonstrably false' again...

[sted]

if nothing else id rather have superpowers plowing money into space exploration than weapons systems (yes i know a rocket is both). Im sure the americans did go (if they lied about it im sure the russians would of found out and had a field day with the information). Im not 100% sure all the photos are real some do look a bit iffy but i dont know what lighting conditions are like on the moon though there will be at least 2 light sources the sun and the earth and possibly a 3rd the moon itself so just because it looks odd dosent mean it is. Im also not 100% sure neil armstong was the first to land id of been tempted to try it unannounced first that way if it did go wrong less people would know.

 

As to the hoax theories i just cant see it think how many people would need to of been kept quiet for over 40 years i just dont see it as possible with the amount of leaks government have

[6Foot2]

...Just look at this very short list of NASA invented technologies, or technologies created from NASA tech. - Apollo 11 moon landing: top 15 Nasa inventions - Telegraph

 

Have a look at this thread also:

 

Link: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/72118-i-have-been-asked-many-times-what-good-does-work-nasa-does-do-us.html

 

A reply in that thread talks of access denied. I have just tested the links to 'Spin Off 1976' and 'Spin Off 1977' They are working.

 

[i never did get around to posting the rest of the links. ]

[Michael]

I voted 'No' as the question could of been phrased better -

 

Have we (humans) been to the moon - No

 

Have we sent robots to the moon - Yes - And robots have been sent to Mars too.

 

If you think about it, by sending up robots we can tell whether or not the moon is suitable for life. There's no water, no oxygen and no gravity. Sending up people is a lot more expensive and complicated with no gain.

 

I recently saw a documentary on More4 called 'Journey to the Edge of the Universe'. It talked about various planets or moons being suitable for life.

[JJonas]

Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy: Bad TV

[MK-2]

by "did we go to the moon" i assume you mean the original moon landing? Because again that could be faked yet the mirrors, etc could have been put there by one of the later manned landings. if you mean did man walk on the moon at all, yes i believe he did. but as to the first moon landing, i'm not so sure....i'm yet to be convinced either way

[jinnantonnixx]

I'm 90% certain. I love a good conspiracy though.

[Disaster]

I dunno, but I always love a good conspiracy theory. Anyone know if google moon, it's possible to see anything we've left behind? I've had a look and not convinced...

[jinnantonnixx]

I dunno, but I always love a good conspiracy theory. Anyone know if google moon, it's possible to see anything we've left behind? I've had a look and not convinced...

 

There are some moon orbiter photos showing shadows of the lunar lander platforms left behind. Also the tracks left behind by the moon buggy(s). I think the Reg had a feature on this a year or so ago.

[jinnantonnixx]

Here you go....

 

NASA - LRO Sees Apollo Landing Sites

[Andrew_C]

We did, and I have shaken the hand of two men (Conrad & Bean) who stood on it. In the early 70's my father worked at MSC on the Skylab project; many of the Apollo crews were actively preparing for the later moon landings while also being trained (by dad) to use one of the solar observation telescopes.

 

Anyone who genuinely believes we didn't can stand in the corner with the flat earthers and wear the dunces cap for the rest of the day!

[jinnantonnixx]

But wait - strongest proof of a fake so far...

 

Fake Moon Landings The moon landings are fake!

[FN-GM]

I put "Really don't know" by mistake, i mean yes

[MK-2]

We did, and I have shaken the hand of two men (Conrad & Bean) who stood on it. In the early 70's my father worked at MSC on the Skylab project; many of the Apollo crews were actively preparing for the later moon landings while also being trained (by dad) to use one of the solar observation telescopes.

 

 

Just to play Devils Advocate....none of that proves man walked on the moon?

[witch]

I don't believe that any government would be able to keep a fake like that a secret for so long. I think we did go but some of the photos are 'enhanced'

[CESIL]

I find it hard to believe that any Hollywood effects team could have faked the moon landings...have you seen the quality of the effects used in films in the late sixties?

 

some of the photos are 'enhanced'

 

All the photos I take with my DSLR are 'enhanced' just as all the photos I took on film were. A large part of the skill in photography is how to make the best of your images while developing/processing them.

[IrritableTech]

Remember there was a race to the moon.

 

All Russia needed to do was recieve the radio transmissions at the east and west of Russia, and triangulate. They would have been very quick to expose a lie if they could prove it in my opinion.

[Abaddon]

by "did we go to the moon" i assume you mean the original moon landing? Because again that could be faked yet the mirrors, etc could have been put there by one of the later manned landings. if you mean did man walk on the moon at all, yes i believe he did. but as to the first moon landing, i'm not so sure....i'm yet to be convinced either way

 

I'm with this one..

[sted]

Remember there was a race to the moon.

 

All Russia needed to do was recieve the radio transmissions at the east and west of Russia, and triangulate. They would have been very quick to expose a lie if they could prove it in my opinion.

 

technically all that proves is that a where a transmition came from so they could of dropped a transmitter and be using that to rebroadcast back to earth. (not that i think they did but it just depends what you will accept as proof)