The American flags on the moon have all turned white
NASA
The result? The flags are probably completely white by now.
The flags were made by Annin Flagmakers. They are nylon and cost NASA $5.50 each. Even on the surface of the Earth, under the protection of our atmosphere, flags flown in bright sunlight would fade severely over the decades since the moon landings.
Because the moon doesn't have an atmosphere, and there is no shade, the flags planted by the Apollo astronauts are exposed to bright, constant sunlight with even more radiation.
In an article in the Smithsonian Air & Space magazine, lunar scientist Paul Spudis explains:
Over the course of the Apollo program, our astronauts deployed six American flags on the Moon. For forty-odd years, the flags have been exposed to the full fury of the Moon's environment - alternating 14 days of searing sunlight and 100° C heat with 14 days of numbing-cold -150° C darkness. But even more damaging is the intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the pure unfiltered sunlight on the cloth (modal) from which the Apollo flags were made. Even on Earth, the colors of a cloth flag flown in bright sunlight for many years will eventually fade and need to be replaced. So it is likely that these symbols of American achievement have been rendered blank, bleached white by the UV radiation of unfiltered sunlight on the lunar surface. Some of them may even have begun to physically disintegrate under the intense flux.
America is left with no discernible space program while the Moon above us no longer flies a visible U.S. flag. How ironic.
- I quit McKinsey after 1.5 years. I was making over $200k but my mental health was shattered.
- Some Tesla factory workers realized they were laid off when security scanned their badges and sent them back on shuttles, sources say
- I tutor the children of some of Dubai's richest people. One of them paid me $3,000 to do his homework.
- Top 10 Must-visit places in Kashmir in 2024
- The Psychology of Impulse Buying
- Indo-Gangetic Plains, home to half the Indian population, to soon become hotspot of extreme climate events: study
- 7 Vegetables you shouldn’t peel before eating to get the most nutrients
- Gut check: 10 High-fiber foods to add to your diet to support digestive balance