APOLLO INSIDER

Many assume that all the fake Moon stills and video were shot in a remote studio in the Nevada desert, this however is untrue. Both video and still shots were taken at many different places, and the actual video's were indeed shot in remote desert locations many years before the actual mission dates. One of the places chosen by NASA and the USGS, was Chezin Chotah in the Hopi Butte volcanic field. The USGS (United States Geological Society) were heavily involved in assisting NASA to perfect the fake Moon scenario's, after all they were being funded by none other than NASA. As previously explained, the planning and preparation of faking the Moon missions began way back in the mid 60's, it was not something which NASA suddenly decided to do prior to the Apollo 8 mission. There were 8 simulated tests known as AAP Test 1 to AAP Test 8. AAP stands for Apollo Application Systems. The picture shown below is just such a test at Chezin Chotah. Note that astronauts are suited up for the simulation. The live audio/video was then transmitted by narrow beam microwave link to the ADF (Astronauts Data Facility), at 4th Street, East Flagstaff, over 85 miles away. Microwave link was used so that no one could intercept the communication, had they used radio wave link, there was the possibility that someone might eavesdrop on the conversations. Note the crew are congregating around a large boulder shown just below center of photograph. This is the split boulder, (Tracy's Rock), where Apollo astroNOT Jack Schmitt had his picture taken for the Taurus Littrow valley shot on the Moon.

Security around the area was, as to be expected very tight. NASA needed to be 100% certain that no one would accidentally stumble upon their fakery. This was achieved in various ways. A helicopter hovered above the area on the lookout for any vehicle which may possibly enter the area. If any vehicle was seen that posed a threat, a signal was sent to the 'trespass vehicle nearest the threat' which would then intercept the approaching individuals, and turn them away.

Trespass vehicles were placed on all approaching vehicle tracks some distance from the test site. The staff on 'trespass vehicles' had view scopes to assess the threat posed to the Apollo test. One such trespass vehicle is shown left, with 'heavy man' James Crossan ready to turn any individuals away, he's even scowling at the cameraman as though he shouldn't be there.

The two pictures below show the microwave link between remote desert location, and the ADF at Flagstaff.

The weird looking vehicle shown below was the mock LM, which was moved around differing parts of the desert. Note triangular window to give astroNOTS the impression they were in the Lunar Module. The astroNOTS had to recite what they saw from the window. These conversations were monitored at ADF many times over, until the simulation sounded real enough to the staff at the ADF. Picture on right is a view from the mobile LM simulator, looking across Hopi Butte.

AstroNOTS went to many different places from the mid 60's right up until the end of Apollo in 1972, for their so called training simulations. This picture shows just one such place, known as Blackhawk Slide. It is easy to see why they used such sites for taking fake Moon pictures. Just remove those few shrubs in the foreground, (should take about half an hour), and you have your perfect Moon setting, not only that but you already have your 'orange soil' in place ready for Mr. Schmitt to quote his famous remark "There's orange soil here, orange soil on the Moon." Both Cernan and Schmitt were here on 6 Oct 1972 to record their 'Moon Game'.

Finally the diagram below shows how the whole lot was put together to function as though astroNOTS were on the Moon, when in all sense and reason they were in some remote desert here on planet Earth. As explained previously, the astroNOTS conversations were transmitted by microwave link, so the only people who could monitor the conversations were based at ADF in Flagstaff. Therefore the statement made by many PAN's that radio amateurs monitored the Apollo conversations from their garden shed, is nothing more than pure, unadulterated BS. All the monitored conversations from the tests, are now in the possession of the ALSJ, (a subsidiary of NASA). ALSJ of course will insist that the audio tapes are genuine tapes from the Apollo Moon missions. Sheesh.