Satellite survey of Moon meant to silence skeptics

"New imagery [from produced by the SMART-1 probe] of the Apollo touchdown sites might put to rest conspiratorial thoughts that American astronauts didn’t go the distance and scuff up the lunar landscape. NASA carried out six piloted landings on the Moon between 1969 and 1972.

"Fringe theorists have said images of the waving flag -- on a Moon with no atmosphere -- and other oddities show that NASA never really went to the Moon. No serious scientist or spaceflight historian doubts the success of the Apollo program, however.

"'We are observing some of the landing sites for calibration and ground truth purposes,' said Bernard Foing, Chief [Serious] Scientist of the ESA Science Program.

"Foing told SPACE.com that the SMART-1 orbiter circling the Moon has already covered the Apollo 11, 16, 17 landing sites, as well as spots where the former Soviet Union’s Luna 16 and Luna 20 automated vehicles plopped down. The images have not yet been released."

[That's because They don't want them released, ne?]