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Images Show Apollo Moon Flags Still Standing

Posted by samzenpus on from the planted-to-last dept.

TheNextCorner writes "Images taken by a NASA spacecraft show that the American flags planted in the Moon's soil by Apollo astronauts are mostly still standing. Each of the Apollo missions planted an American flag in the soil at their landing sites. Scientists had previously examined photos of the Apollo landing sites for the flags, and had seen what looked like shadows cast by them on the lunar surface. Now, researchers have studied photos of the landing sites taken at different points during the day (and under different illuminations) and have observed shadows circling the points where the flags are thought to be."

3 of 206 comments (clear)

  1. this is interesting and all... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...but it would be even MORE interesting if they WEREN'T there anymore.

    We might even have a reason to go back and checkout what/who was moving our flags around :)

  2. If we had any balls by Spy+Handler · · Score: 4, Insightful

    we wouldn't have to forensically analyze long-distance data to figure out if the flags are standing or not. We'd just be looking out the damn window and see.

  3. What will happen to that flag. by Animats · · Score: 4, Insightful

    About 15 years from now, the ambassador of the People's Republic of China will solemnly return that flag to the President of the United States. Some of the original Apollo astronauts will still be alive to attend. The flag will be placed in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, for future generations of Americans to admire.