Fact check: Who landed on the moon?

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results:

The Apollo program successfully landed humans on the Moon multiple times between 1969-1972. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first to land on July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, with Armstrong taking the first steps on the lunar surface at 10:56 p.m. In total, 12 astronauts walked on the Moon across six successful missions.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:

The original question omits several crucial contextual elements:

• The massive scale of the endeavor: approximately 400,000 people worked on the Apollo program
• The significant financial investment: $24 billion (equivalent to $100 billion today)
• The Cold War context: The moon landing was part of the Space Race between the US and Soviet Union
• The scientific legacy: 380 kg of Moon rocks were collected and retroreflectors left on the surface are still used for scientific measurements today
• The last lunar mission was Apollo 17 in 1972, with Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt being the last humans to walk on the Moon

3. Potential misinformation/bias:

While the question itself is neutral, it's important to note that:

• A significant minority (6-20%) of people continue to doubt the moon landings despite overwhelming evidence
• The Soviet Union, which had every reason to dispute the achievement during the Cold War, tracked and acknowledged the missions
• Multiple independent space agencies, including JAXA (Japan) and ISRO (India), have verified the landing sites
• The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has photographed the landing sites, providing additional modern verification