The "moon landing hoax" refers to a conspiracy theory that claims the United States faked the Apollo moon landings, particularly the first one in 1969 when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin allegedly walked on the lunar surface. Proponents of this theory argue that the U.S. government staged the event to win the Space Race against the Soviet Union and to demonstrate technological superiority. Despite these claims, extensive evidence supports the authenticity of the moon landings, including photographs, rock samples, and testimonies from thousands of people involved in the missions. Scientific analysis and independent verification have consistently debunked the hoax theories, reinforcing the reality of human exploration of the moon.