The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, currently busily studying the Moon from lunar orbit, has imaged the flag that flies at the Apollo 17 landing site at the Taurus Littrow valley. The flag can be seen as a tiny dot next to the Challenger lunar module descent stage.
Apollo 17 was the last of the Apollo lunar expeditions, taking place in December, 1972. The crew consisted of Gene Cernan, Command Pilot, Harrison Schmitt, the lunar module pilot and thus far the only trained geologist to walk on the Moon, and Ron Evens, command module pilot. Cernan and Schmitt spent a total of three days exploring the lunar surface, collecting rock and soil samples, and setting up experiments. Almost four decades later, they are the last two men to ever walk on the Moon.
The raising of the American flag at an Apollo lunar landing site constitutes one of the most iconic images of the space age. The red. white, and blue banner that has flown from a hundred battlefields from Yorktown to Fallujah is often the one splash of color that exists in any photograph of astronauts on the Moon.
Even more important, the American flag marks the territory explored on the lunar surface with an unforgettable message. Men from the United States of America visited those places, explored them, and then returned to their homeland. Outer Space Treaty or not, those tiny patches of lunar land are as part of America as any foreign battlefield sanctified by American blood.
And if an American ever wants to pledge allegiance to his or her flag and none seems available, he or she can turn toward the Moon. Six American flags fly there. No citizen of any other country can do that. At least, thus far.
Comments
Kinda blows the theory about the landing being a hoax, doesn't it!
NASA faked the original 'Moon Landings' in a large fake moon bay at Area 51 at the Nevada Test Site, 40/50 years ago, and these photos easily faked again by NASA are meant to prove somethings?
NASA wasted billions of US tax-payers money on their silly games in the past, and they are still wasting billions today on their 'International Space Station-Space Walks' in massive water pools on Earth.
NASA are one big massive joke, most of the public around the world knows it, except for 90% of the US public, who also believe pigs can fly.
You know you can actually rent telescopes that are able to see the landing spots right?
Jealous people still suck. Internet allows for free will, expression, and speech. Fact is Trevor is probably just mad because he doesn't get paid or laid enough.
Looks like you've attracted the crackpots! Hope you attract plenty of intelligent folks, too.
Gourmet Food Examiner
Knoxville Healthy Food Examiner
where? does anyone see a flag?
Gotta love how people are holding up a pixilated 300x300px image of a black dot, pointed to by the word "Flag" as resounding proof that "crackpot" conspiracy theorists are stupid and finally proven wrong. (from a organisation capable of the biggest resolutions in the world at that)
I don't believe the moon landings were fake, and that tiny black dot may very well be the flag. But if this image is all it takes for you to believe it is definitely a flag, then do I have a deal for you.... sheep.
On a side note, you will not find the word "Gullible" in any English dictionary.
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