NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, recently addressed comments made by reality television star Kim Kardashian regarding the authenticity of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. In a post on X, Duffy firmly reiterated that astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong successfully landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, stating, “Yes, @KimKardashian, we’ve been to the Moon before… 6 times!”
Duffy’s statement came in response to an episode of “The Kardashians,” which aired on Hulu, where Kardashian discussed the moon landing with actress Sarah Paulson. During the episode, Kardashian expressed skepticism about the event, suggesting that Aldrin’s comments in a past interview implied that the moon landing did not occur. She referenced Aldrin’s remarks from a 2015 interview at the Oxford Union, where he stated, “There was no scary moment, cause it didn’t happen.”
Kardashian claimed that she had sent numerous articles to Paulson discussing Aldrin and “the other one,” referring to Armstrong, while expressing doubt about Aldrin’s credibility due to his age. She noted, “He’s gotten old and like, slurs,” which contributed to her belief that the Apollo 11 mission may not have happened.
Paulson, while remaining neutral in the discussion, promised to take “a serious deep dive” into the topic, implying a willingness to explore the facts surrounding the moon landing further. Kardashian concluded the conversation by admitting that she frequently shares conspiracy theories with Paulson, suggesting a playful engagement with the topic.
Duffy’s response serves not only to clarify the historical record but also highlights NASA’s commitment to education and public engagement. His mention of the upcoming NASA Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon, emphasizes the agency’s ongoing efforts in space exploration under the leadership of President Biden.
As discussions about the moon landing continue, the exchange between Kardashian and Duffy illustrates the influence of celebrity culture on public perceptions of science and history. NASA’s proactive stance in addressing these doubts reflects its dedication to ensuring that factual information prevails in the public arena.
