Are NASA's flags from Apollo missions still standing on Moon?
Astrophotographer Robert Reeves recently disclosed the status of the six American flags planted on the Moon by NASA during Apollo missions. The first flag, a nylon US symbol, was embedded seven inches deep into the lunar surface by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on July 21, 1969, to mark their successful Apollo 11 mission. But what has become of the six markers over the years, and are any still standing? Per Reeves, some have not endured the passage of time.
The challenge of tracking lunar flags
According to Reeves, determining the current condition of these flags is a daunting task due to the vast distance between Earth and the Moon. As he explained in a YouTube video, "The smallest objects on the Moon that can be seen with any Earthbound telescope are only a little under a mile across." Given that the Apollo mission flags are merely four feet wide, "Not even the powerful Hubble Space Telescope can see the flags," said Reeves.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: A key tool to identification
Although the flags are not visible from Earth, NASA has a method to determine if they are still standing, per Reeves. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), NASA's spacecraft orbiting the Moon since 2009, has played a crucial role in tracking these flags. The LRO has captured images showing shadows of three flags from Apollo missions 12, 16, and 17, indicating that they are still standing. However, markers at Apollo 14 and 15 sites have not been located by the LRO.
The disappearance of Apollo 14 and 15 flags
According to Reeves, the flags from Apollo missions 14 and 15 may have disintegrated due to solar ultraviolet radiation. He stated, "Scientists believe those flags weren't just bleached, but their nylon was completely disintegrated by solar ultraviolet radiation." The status of these two flags remains inconclusive as the LRO has been unable to locate markers at these sites.
The fate of Apollo 11's historic flag
The original flag planted by Armstrong and Aldrin during the Apollo 11 mission is also no longer standing. The flagpole did not withstand the rocket exhaust during liftoff. Despite this, experts believe that the nylon flag could be preserved under Moon dust and potentially recovered in the future. However, as the last crewed NASA Apollo mission to the Moon was in December 1972, it may be some time before this hypothesis can be tested.
