Conspiracy theories around Artemis II have spread online after the crew returned safely from its lunar mission, with fake NASA claims and old Apollo 11 hoax stories gaining traction on social media. Posts using hashtags such as "fake space" and "Fake NASA" rose after the mission pushed four astronauts farther from Earth than any humans have travelled before.
One viral image viewed more than a million times on X claimed to show the astronauts levitating in front of a green screen and facing cameras, suggesting Artemis II was staged. The fresh wave of misinformation has also revived decades-old claims that NASA faked the first Moon landing.
The renewed attention matters because Artemis II marks a new phase in human lunar exploration, yet false claims online continue to challenge public trust in major space missions. The latest posts show how quickly older conspiracy theories can return when landmark events capture global attention.
???????????????????? BOMBSHELL THE ARTEMIS ll BACK TO MOON MISSION IS FAKE:
— Gerhardt vd Merwe (@realgerhardtvdm) April 5, 2026
The latest livestream with the Artemis II astronauts clearly shows that it's all a green screen setup. People in the U.S. are freaking out big time! pic.twitter.com/YjqqemkuZn
Old Claims
The Apollo 11 hoax theory alleges that NASA broadcast footage filmed inside a Hollywood studio rather than landing on the Moon. The claim has remained visible in popular culture and was referenced in the 2024 film Fly Me to the Moon, in which Scarlett Johansson plays a character tasked with preparing a fake lunar landing if the real mission failed.
Apollo 11 launched in July 1969 and became the first successful human mission to land on the Moon. The crew included Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface.
Expert View
"The moon landing is an example of a conspiracy that will not die," Timothy Caulfield, a misinformation expert from the University of Alberta in Canada, told AFP. "These conspiracies are attractive for a host of reasons including that they are linked to the allure of having 'secret knowledge' or being aware of things others don't know."
"In many ways, it is a testament to how hard it is for humans to travel to the moon, after all, we did it from 1968 to 1972, and it has taken until 2026 to do it again. It makes many people wonder if it ever happened, right now we are seeing remarkable photographs and video of the Earth and the moon...These photos alone should remove doubt and show once again the amazing things humans are capable of," space exploration expert Francis French told AFP.
ALSO READ: NASA's Artemis II Crew Captures Stunning Pictures Of Milky Way, Lunar Surface From Deep Space
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