Question 1

True or false: Michael Collins, who stayed in orbit, was at times the loneliest person in history.

Accepted Answer

True. While Armstrong and Aldrin were on the Moon, Collins orbited alone, completely cut off from Earth whenever the capsule passed behind the Moon.

Question 2

True or false: The moon landing was faked and filmed in a Hollywood studio by Stanley Kubrick.

Accepted Answer

False. This is a persistent conspiracy theory. Evidence from thousands of photos, lunar samples, and independent tracking stations proves the landings were real.

Question 3

True or false: Apollo 11 nearly ran out of fuel during the final descent to the lunar surface.

Accepted Answer

True. The lunar module had only about 30 seconds of fuel left when Armstrong landed. Mission Control was tense, but the landing succeeded.

Question 4

True or false: The Apollo 11 computer had less processing power than a modern smartphone.

Accepted Answer

True. The Apollo Guidance Computer had about 64KB of memory and ran at 0.043 MHz. A typical smartphone has millions of times more computing power.

Question 5

True or false: Neil Armstrong's first words on the moon included 'a' before 'man' due to a slip.

Accepted Answer

True. Armstrong said 'That's one small step for a man...' but the 'a' was barely audible, leading many to think he said 'for man.' He insisted he said it.

Question 6

True or false: The American flag planted on the moon is still standing today.

Accepted Answer

False. The flag was knocked over by the lunar module's exhaust when it launched. Later Apollo missions' flags may have faded or fallen due to radiation.

Question 7

True or false: Neil Armstrong's famous line was 'One small step for a man' but he accidentally said 'for man.'

Accepted Answer

True. Armstrong claimed he said 'a man,' but audio analysis suggests he dropped the 'a.' The intended phrase was 'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.'

Question 8

True or false: The American flag planted on the Moon was knocked over by the lunar module's exhaust.

Accepted Answer

False. The flag was placed away from the module and remained standing. It was later knocked down by the ascent module's exhaust when the astronauts left.

Question 9

True or false: President Nixon had a speech ready in case the astronauts were stranded on the Moon.

Accepted Answer

True. Titled 'In Event of Moon Disaster,' it was to be read if Armstrong and Aldrin couldn't return. They would be left to die or commit suicide.

Question 10

True or false: The astronauts could see stars clearly from the lunar surface due to no atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

False. Photos show no stars because the bright lunar surface and camera settings washed them out. Astronauts could see stars faintly, but not with the naked eye as often thought.

Question 11

True or false: Astronauts on Apollo 11 could see stars clearly from the moon's surface.

Accepted Answer

False. Photos show black skies because the camera exposure was set for the bright lunar surface. In reality, stars were visible but not in those images.

Question 12

True or false: Buzz Aldrin took communion on the moon shortly after landing.

Accepted Answer

True. Aldrin, an elder at his church, privately took bread and wine, reading from John 15:5. NASA kept it quiet to avoid a religious controversy.

Question 13

True or false: The lunar module had a backup thruster in case the main engine failed to ignite.

Accepted Answer

False. There was no backup engine. If the ascent engine failed, the astronauts would be stranded. Engineers trusted its reliability completely.

Question 14

True or false: Buzz Aldrin took communion on the lunar surface shortly after landing.

Accepted Answer

True. Aldrin, an elder at his church, privately celebrated communion using a kit given by his pastor. He asked for radio silence to avoid controversy.

Question 15

True or false: The Apollo 11 crew had to declare their cargo to U.S. Customs upon returning to Earth.

Accepted Answer

True. After splashdown, the astronauts filled out a customs form listing 'moon rock samples' and 'moon dust' as cargo. The form is now a famous artifact.

Apollo 11 Moon Landing Trivia Questions