Photo: ESA/ATG medialab
November 12, 2014, saw a new milestone in space exploration when Rosetta’s Philae probe soft-landed on a comet. This was an extraordinary event in human history.
After the landing, the European Space Agency (ESA) regained contact with the lander. Batteries on the device have now run down but not before sending back the results of scientific experiments conducted from the comet’s surface.
But, predictably, claims that the comet landing was faked started to circulate soon after the event. Just as with the moon landing, and other space events since, conspiracy theorists are now suggesting that the comet landing footage and information are fake.
One commentator, who goes by the name of Lord Steven Christ, even created a YouTube video that suggested that the landing was CGI. ‘Lord Steven’ also maintains that the earth is actually concave and has a glass sky.
It is unclear if Lord Steven Christ actually believes the utter nonsense that he gushes out or is just making fun of conspiracy theorists. Some would suggest that he is just ‘trolling’. But, whatever his motivation, comments on his work indicate that at least a few do actually believe him.
Another popular YouTuber by the name of Zachary K Hubbard claimed that various sets of numbers associated with the Rosetta mission somehow prove that the landing was a hoax.
Of course, the progress of the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission has been closely followed by scientists and news outlets all around the world including NASA. The mission has been extensively documented and discussed since its beginnings.
Thus, any suggestion that the mission was somehow faked and that this ruse was so good that it was able to fool leading scientists and science journalists all around the world just beggars belief. Despite what a tiny minority of wide-eyed conspiracy theorists might believe, there is overwhelming evidence that the Philae probe really did land on a comet.
© Copyright: ESA/ATG medialab
