We love paranormal stories, right? Well, this one is not very paranormal, but it has set off alarm bells throughout the scientific community. In an unexpected twist, confidential documents related to NASA’s explorations of the Moon have “mysteriously” disappeared from the LEAG (Lunar Exploration Analysis Group) database. The most curious thing is that not all the files have been lost, only the one related to a key report by lunar experts that was carried out in 2023, where NASA was urged to plan a replacement for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), an orbiter that was sent in 2009 to support the Artemis program missions. But these documents do not exist and NASA’s website shows the now famous message “Error 404 – not found.” What’s going on at NASA?
What’s missing?
Three documents of particular relevance have disappeared and the community is starting to get a little nervous… are they hiding “things” from us? In addition to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the master list of LEAG annual reports and the complete archive of the Extraterrestrial Materials Analysis Group (ExMAG) work have gone missing, something essential for recovering samples taken from our Solar System. Who doesn’t want us to know what’s up there?
The change of government… and NASA?
Initially, there was speculation that NASA was facing a cyber attack or a server failure, but… It seems that the loss of the documents is due to a political decision rather than human error.
According to reports, the new presidential administration has imposed an indefinite pause on the activities of research groups affiliated with NASA. This means that it is prohibiting meetings, collaborations, and the publication of some scientific documents (such as those mentioned above). And this, of course, includes the request to research teams to temporarily stop their meetings and activities.
What is the Artemis program?
Artemis is a NASA program that aims to return astronauts to the Moon from the Apollo missions. Its main goal is to establish a sustainable base on the Moon to serve as a “base” for future missions to Mars.
Artemis not only seeks manned exploration, but also the development of advanced technologies, the study of lunar resources, and collaboration with international groups.
The first mission, Artemis I, launched in 2022 and was an uncrewed test flight to evaluate the Orion spacecraft and the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. Artemis II will send a crew on a lunar flyby, and Artemis III will take astronauts to the lunar south pole by 2026!
A blow to scientific transparency
Obviously, this blockage has not gone down well with scientists, because more than 500 researchers from the United States have signed a letter addressed to both NASA and Congress demanding that this situation be reversed. Why would they not want access to planetary information? It is essential to continue researching our planet and the interplanetary community in which we live…
The disappearance of these documents is more than a bureaucratic incident, but reflects a trend towards opacity in research, leaving the agencies in charge of space exploration in check. Will NASA continue to share its findings or, and let’s be a little “illuminati,” have they found something they don’t want us to know about? The future looks dark…