# Any evidence the US was prepared to fake the moon landing HAD IT BEEN NECESSARY? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693 "2019-05-29T03:45:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/61 "2019-05-29T16:18:33Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > Other than The Shining of course … but is there any evidence besides Kubrick’s cinematic confession … I still don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyway, the only way to fake a manned moon landing is to use an _unmanned_ lunar lander, transmitting recorded voice and video. Otherwise anyone with a big enough parabolic dish would know that there were no communications coming from the Moon. And the unmanned spacecraft would have had to go all the way to the Moon _and back_, because several countries had radar that could track spacecraft to the moon and back. So, presumably the plan for a fake moon landing would have been to have an unmanned lunar lander on a Saturn-V, have astronauts pretend to board it, then actually launch it and fly it to the Moon and back. What exactly would have necessitated _and still allowed for_ this backup plan? It wouldn’t have worked if the Saturn-V development was delayed. It wouldn’t have worked if they couldn’t solve the problem of navigation, landing or the return trip. ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/62 "2019-05-29T16:23:13Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I still don’t know what you’re talking about. > > Anyway, the only way to fake a manned moon landing is to use an _unmanned_ lunar lander, transmitting recorded voice and video. Otherwise anyone with a big enough parabolic dish would know that there were no communications coming from the Moon. And the unmanned spacecraft would have had to go all the way to the Moon _and back_, because several countries had radar that could track spacecraft to the moon and back. > > So, presumably the plan for a fake moon landing would have been to have an unmanned lunar lander on a Saturn-V, have astronauts pretend to board it, then actually launch it and fly it to the Moon and back. What exactly would have necessitated _and still allowed for_ this backup plan? It wouldn’t have worked if the Saturn-V development was delayed. It wouldn’t have worked if they couldn’t solve the problem of navigation, landing or the return trip. No, send a manned landing, if it works, awesome, if not, then perhaps fake? Anyone seen Capricorn One? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/63 "2019-05-29T16:27:15Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > No, send a manned landing, if it works, awesome, if not, then perhaps fake? Anyone seen Capricorn One? That awful B-movie so full of plot holes that it is often mistaken for Swiss cheese? You actually found it plausible? ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/64 "2019-05-29T16:28:23Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The other “clues” from that site that people would rather believe in over reality: > Stuffed bears representing the Soviet Union. > The word “all” being a secret code for “A11”(Apollo 11). > A character dies in this horror movie, and this is supposed to represent some people that were killed because Kubrick told them the big secret. > Holy shit, this is brain-cell destroying crap. You are very obviously very deliberately mentioning only the fringe ‘clues’, not the main ‘clues’. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/65 "2019-05-29T16:29:33Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > You are very obviously very deliberately mentioning only the fringe ‘clues’, not the main ‘clues’. Please cite the single best “clue” on that website. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/66 "2019-05-29T16:32:54Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > Ooh I get it, this is the post where the genius poster from the original board in 1991 pre-internet puts the rube in his place. Your entire worthless post is just bombast, thinly veiled insults and conjecture based on nothing, and contributes nothing, other that titters of laughter among your cronies. **Moderator Warning** While we may cut newbies some slack, you’ve been around more than 6 months, and should be aware that insults are not allowed outside the pit. This is an official warning. Do not do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/67 "2019-05-29T16:32:56Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > No, send a manned landing, if it works, awesome, if not, then perhaps fake? Anyone seen Capricorn One? I have not seen it. So in that scenario, at what point would you switch to the fake? If you openly launch a crewed mission and it fails catastrophically midway (as Apollo 13 almost did), what do you do? It would be too late to launch a backup fake lander at that point and pretend the mission is continuing successfully. The whole world would have intercepted the telemetry drop out (if not the cries for help), and the fake lander wouldn’t be there to take its place. ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/68 "2019-05-29T16:35:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That awful B-movie so full of plot holes that it is often mistaken for Swiss cheese? You actually found it plausible? 5 million dollar 1970’s budget starring Elliot Gould and James Brolin is hardly a B-movie, and the quality of the film is hardly relevant. And no, I am not saying any of the below means anything, but the below surely would be more convincing to someone that what you pick and chose to cite: 1. Danny is playing with toys in the hallway, he wears an Apollo 11 sweater. 2. After a red ball mysteriously rolls toward him, he rises. 3. The hexagonal pattern (symbolic of NASA’s launching pads) on the carpet changes direction, not because of a continuity error (as theorists suggest the infallible Kubrick was impervious to) but to symbolize Danny being trapped by what is about to come. He rises (his sweater rocket “launches”) and he enters room 237. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/69 "2019-05-29T16:37:54Z")
[Moderating] > [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > No, I meant that there were so many ‘clues’, the clues could not have all been accidental, and I am pretty sure someone later confirmed once the rumor started, some more ‘clues’ were added in on purpose. The same shitty granny songs pre-1966remanined, so definitely the same guy. > [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > Great, Rupert Pupkin I presume? What a stupid f%$\*#g analogy. Not sure your age, but getting to the moon first was a VERY big deal back then. There WAS reason to want to be first. These posts also are unsuitable for General Questions. I’m not issuing additional warnings, but refrain from posts like these as well. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/70 "2019-05-29T16:39:32Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > What about fake it till you make it- fail the first time, get Kubrick to film it as a success, a year later you make it and no one knows you didn’t make it the first time? What would be the proof to the USSR that it wasn’t successful? Video was the only proof (at the time) it WAS successful, and you would have had that, via Kubrick. And like any conspiracy, some would think it fake, some not, that how these things work. > > ‘Too many people involved to lie’ seems to be the mantra here but very very wrongheaded- go to any list compilation site (CR\*\*\*ED for sure, not sure I can say that here) and find “Top 10 mind melding govt. conspiracy theories that ACTUALLY HAPPENED” or whatever and see how its possible- how may top men (SCIENTISTS!) were involved in the syphilis tests on blacks in the 40’s, and that was kept a secret for decades, correct? Why possible there, not possible here? Because there’s _evidence_ of that experiment – documents, eyewitnesses, and the relatives of the people involved. There is no evidence that the moon landing is faked. Just interpretations that, if you squint a bit and don’t have any knowledge of human nature or organizations, can be turned into a fantasy that connects a few of the dots while ignoring many others. The fact is that if the Soviets made a verifiable claim it was faked, it would be covered in every newspaper in the world, including the US. The Soviets would have every reason to publicize it, and it would be such a powerful charge that it would be front-page news. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/71 "2019-05-29T16:41:12Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > 1. The hexagonal pattern (symbolic of NASA’s launching pads) Huh? NASA launch pads aren’t hexagonal. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/72 "2019-05-29T16:44:58Z")
It’s time to ask the same question that is asked of the moon-hoaxers. Is there anything - short of a signed statement by the head of NASA stating that they never contemplated a fake moon landing video, I pinky swear it" - that would satisfy you as evidence? ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/73 "2019-05-29T16:49:31Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It’s time to ask the same question that is asked of the moon-hoaxers. > > Is there anything - short of a signed statement by the head of NASA stating that they never contemplated a fake moon landing video, I pinky swear it" - that would satisfy you as evidence? From my post - #36 which you may have overlooked- And yes, with any theory, you are looking for corroboration- ideally someone out there had read a book ala Area 51 where someone around at the time had some insight into this being a possibility, or some strange footage found in a locker in 1991, a declassified memo, something like that. This is what I was looking for, having a real interest in the subject and finding the ‘clues’ in The Shining fascinating. Since no one here yet is apparently aware of anything like that, then yes, I agree, the thread is pretty much pointless lacking that type of info. Fully willing to agree if its the case that there is no tangible proof or even hearsay it was even a consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693/74 "2019-05-29T16:53:46Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > Since no one here yet is apparently aware of anything like that, then yes, I agree, the thread is pretty much pointless lacking that type of info. Fully willing to agree if its the case that there is no tangible proof or even hearsay it was even a consideration. In this case, it’s probably best to close this, since we have had many previous threads on the “moon hoax.” Colibri General Questions Moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-evidence-the-us-was-prepared-to-fake-the-moon-landing-had-it-been-necessary/834693.md?page=3)