Mentioned on a Reality Show
NASA Administrator Reaches Out Directly
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) directly contacted influencer Kim Kardashian, who has been drawn into the 'moon landing conspiracy theory,' to deliver the message that "we have been to the moon six times."
According to the New York Times (NYT) on October 31 (local time), Sean Duffy, who is serving as both the acting administrator of NASA and the Secretary of Transportation, sent a message to Kardashian via the social networking service X (formerly Twitter) the previous day, stating, "We have actually been to the moon six times." In the message, Secretary Duffy emphasized, "The United States is ready to return to the moon."
Kim Kardashian. AP Yonhap News
On the reality show "The Kardashians," which aired that day, Kardashian said, "I don't think we went to the moon," and added, "I think the landing was faked." The questions she raised included: "If there is no atmosphere on the moon, why does the flag appear to be waving?" and "Why are there no stars visible in the photos of the moon landing?" On the same program, Kardashian also referenced an interview article in which Buzz Aldrin, the second astronaut to land on the moon aboard Apollo 11, was asked about "the scariest moment during the mission." She commented, "There couldn't have been a scary moment because it never happened." She then jokingly added, "I love conspiracy theories." Kardashian cited online sources such as TikTok as the basis for her claims.
The conspiracy theory that Neil Armstrong and Aldrin did not actually land on the moon aboard Apollo 11 has persisted for decades. Secretary Duffy's direct outreach to Kardashian appears to be due to her significant influence as an influencer. Kardashian, who rose to fame as a reality show star, is also well known for her marriage and subsequent divorce from hip-hop mogul Kanye West (Ye).
Meanwhile, NASA is currently pursuing its lunar landing program, Artemis. The Artemis program aims to send a crewed spacecraft to orbit the moon and return in the second phase early next year, with a goal of landing on the moon in 2028. Secretary Duffy invited Kardashian to the Artemis launch. He stressed, "The United States is ready to return to the moon," and added, "We won the last space race, and we will win this one as well."
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