Astronauts from Artemis II may have safely returned after completing their lunar mission, but that hasn’t stopped conspiracy theorists from spinning fresh claims. Hashtags such as “fake space” and “fake NASA” have gained traction online since the lunar fly-by sent the four-member crew farther from Earth than any human before. Among the viral claims was an image viewed over a million times on X, purporting to show the astronauts floating before a green screen and facing film cameras — suggesting Artemis II was staged. In reality, analysts say the image bore hallmarks of AI manipulation. Some users also circulated a video showing text appearing through the mission’s official mascot, claiming it as proof the flight was staged. However, experts said the anomaly resulted from a failed text overlay by a news broadcaster that had syndicated the official feed. Unfounded claims that the mission detected a mysterious moving object on the Moon’s surface also racked up millions of views across platforms. Others alleged that the mission itself was a “hoax generated using artificial intelligence tools.”
Apollo 11 conspiracy revived
The wave of misinformation has also revived one of the most enduring conspiracy theories — that NASA faked the Apollo 11 moon landing, broadcasting visuals shot in a Hollywood studio. The narrative has seeped into popular culture, featuring in films such as 2024’s Fly Me to the Moon — where actor Scarlett Johansson plays a character tasked with staging a fake lunar landing in case the real one fails. Apollo 11, launched in July 1969, was the first to land humans on the Moon. It was crewed by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin Aldrin. Armstrong became the first person to walk on the lunar surface.
Why space missions attract misinformation
According to disinformation researcher Mike Rothschild, scientific achievements such as space missions present “very easy content for conspiracy influencers.” “There are some people whose reflexive reaction to any kind of major event is to claim it’s fake and staged, no matter what it is. They pass themselves off as experts in science and physics because it’s somehow more believable to their followers than just going with ‘the official story,’” Rothschild said.(With AFP inputs)
