GLOBAL - The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has publicly refuted claims made by American media personality Kim Kardashian suggesting the historic 1969 moon landing was fabricated. The exchange underscores the ongoing battle between scientific fact and viral misinformation, a challenge with significant implications for public understanding and education worldwide, including in Kenya.

The issue arose during the broadcast of the television show “The Kardashians” on Thursday, 30 October 2025. In a conversation with her co-star Sarah Paulson, Kardashian expressed her belief that the Apollo 11 mission was fake. She cited a widely circulated, out-of-context video clip of astronaut Buzz Aldrin as her primary evidence.

Kardashian quoted from the clip, alleging that when Aldrin was asked about the scariest moment of the mission, he replied, “There was no scary moment because it didn’t happen. It could’ve been scary, but it wasn’t because it didn’t happen.”

In a swift response, NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy addressed Kardashian directly on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). “Yes, @KimKardashian, we've been to the Moon before… 6 times!” Duffy posted on Friday, 31 October 2025 (EAT). He added, “And even better: @NASAArtemis is going back under the leadership of @POTUS. We won the last space race and we will win this one too.”

Fact-Checking the Conspiracy

Investigative analysis confirms that the quote Kardashian attributed to Buzz Aldrin is a well-documented piece of misinformation. Fact-checking organizations and news agencies have repeatedly debunked the claim, explaining that video clips of Aldrin have been edited or his statements taken out of context to suggest he denied going to the moon.

One frequently misused clip originates from a 2015 Q&A session where Aldrin, when asked about the scariest moment, replied, “It didn’t happen. It could have been scary.” However, the full context of his response shows he was explaining that no single 'scariest' event occurred, before proceeding to describe a potentially serious but resolved issue with a broken circuit breaker. Another manipulated clip involves Aldrin responding to a child's question about why no one has returned to the moon in a long time; his words, “we didn't go there,” are presented without the crucial context that he was discussing the lack of subsequent missions, not the original ones.

A Legacy of Scientific Achievement

The Apollo 11 mission, which landed on the moon on 20 July 1969, was a landmark achievement of human exploration. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins orbited above in the command module. This was the first of six successful crewed lunar landings conducted by NASA's Apollo program between 1969 and December 1972, during which a total of twelve astronauts walked on the Moon.

NASA's current lunar initiative, the Artemis program, aims to return humans to the Moon, including the first woman and first person of color, and establish a sustainable presence there. The program's long-term goal is to prepare for human missions to Mars. The first uncrewed test flight, Artemis I, was successfully completed in 2022. Artemis II, the first crewed flight test, is scheduled for early 2026.

Local Relevance and Global Impact

While the direct link to Kenya is minimal, the incident serves as a powerful case study in the global spread of misinformation, which remains a significant challenge locally. The amplification of debunked theories by influential figures with millions of followers highlights a critical need for robust science communication and digital literacy.

This is particularly relevant as Kenya advances its own space-related ambitions. The Kenya Space Agency (KSA), established in 2017, is mandated to coordinate and regulate space activities to foster socio-economic development. The KSA's work in areas like Earth observation, satellite technology—including the launch of the Taifa-1 satellite—and promoting STEM education stands in stark contrast to the casual dismissal of scientific milestones. Promoting public trust in science and technology is integral to the KSA's mission to leverage space for national development in agriculture, resource management, and disaster response.

The viral nature of the Kardashian-NASA exchange demonstrates that in a globally connected information ecosystem, reinforcing foundational scientific facts is a continuous and necessary task for institutions everywhere.