Documented Questions, Facts, and Critical Thinking
TRUTH CARRIERS EDUCATION SYSTEM
Critical Thinking Series - Adult/Teen Level
This workbook examines documented facts, official statements, and legitimate questions about the space program. It is NOT a conspiracy theory course—it is an exercise in critical thinking.
We will examine:
Our approach: Distinguish between documented facts, questions raised, and speculation. Form your own conclusions based on evidence.
This workbook presents documented information and questions—not conclusions. Some topics are controversial. Christians should approach with wisdom, avoiding both blind acceptance and paranoid rejection. Prove all things.
After World War II, the United States recruited German scientists through a program called Operation .
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientists recruited | Approximately German scientists |
| Time period | 1945-1959 |
| Purpose | Harness German expertise for Cold War advantage |
| Source | Declassified U.S. government documents |
Documented: Operation Paperclip happened. Von Braun was in the SS. He later led NASA rocket development.
Question: What does this history tell us about the program's foundations?
1. Operation Paperclip recruited approximately:
○ A) 100 scientists
○ B) 500 scientists
○ C) 1,600 scientists
○ D) 5,000 scientists
2. NASA began operations in:
○ A) 1945
○ B) 1958
○ C) 1961
○ D) 1969
Write: What Operation Paperclip was. Wernher von Braun's background. When NASA was formed.
The Van Allen belts are zones of trapped charged particles held by Earth's field.
| Belt | Altitude | Radiation Type |
|---|---|---|
| Inner Belt | ~640-6,000 km | High-energy protons |
| Outer Belt | ~13,000-58,000 km | Electrons |
Discovered: 1958 by James Van using Explorer 1 satellite.
According to NASA:
If Apollo successfully navigated the belts with basic shielding in the 1960s, why does NASA emphasize needing "better protection" for Artemis today?
Acute lethal radiation dose: ~4-5 Gy (400-500 rad) for 50% fatality without treatment.
1. The Van Allen belts were discovered in:
○ A) 1945
○ B) 1958
○ C) 1969
○ D) 1980
2. The inner Van Allen belt begins at approximately:
○ A) 100 km
○ B) 400 km (ISS altitude)
○ C) 640 km
○ D) 10,000 km
3. Artemis uses what type of additional protection compared to Apollo?
○ A) Same aluminum
○ B) Multi-layer materials and storm shelters
○ C) No shielding
○ D) Lead only
Write: What the Van Allen belts are. How Apollo reportedly handled them. What Artemis is doing differently.
| Specification | Apollo Computer | Modern Smartphone |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 2 MHz | ~2,000+ MHz |
| RAM | 4 KB | ~8,000,000 KB |
| ROM | 72 KB | ~128,000,000 KB |
Question: How did 1960s technology accomplish what requires advanced systems today?
Answer given: The computer was purpose-built and sufficient for its tasks.
Earth-Moon communication delay: ~ seconds one-way (2.6 round-trip)
Technology used: -band radio for voice/data
The original Apollo 11 telemetry tapes were erased and reused in the early 1980s due to tape shortage.
NASA announcement: 2006
Source: NASA's own 2009 report
Lunar retroreflectors do exist on the Moon—they can be tested today:
Question: Do retroreflectors prove manned landings, given that unmanned Soviet missions also placed them?
1. The Apollo guidance computer had how much RAM?
○ A) 4 KB
○ B) 4 MB
○ C) 4 GB
○ D) 64 KB
2. What happened to the original Apollo 11 telemetry tapes?
○ A) Stored in archives
○ B) Erased and reused
○ C) Lost in fire
○ D) Given to museums
3. Which missions placed retroreflectors on the Moon?
○ A) Apollo only
○ B) Soviet only
○ C) Both Apollo and Soviet unmanned
○ D) None
Write: Apollo computer specs. What happened to telemetry tapes. Facts about retroreflectors.
Operation Fishbowl was a series of high-altitude tests in 1962.
| Test | Yield | Altitude | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starfish Prime | 1.4 megatons | 400 km | EMP, satellite damage, artificial radiation belt |
| Bluegill | 0.4 megatons | 50 km | Aurora, radiation |
Stated Purpose: Study nuclear effects on atmosphere, EMP, and radiation belts for military applications.
Interesting Name: Why was this nuclear space test operation named "Fishbowl"?
1. Operation Fishbowl occurred in:
○ A) 1958
○ B) 1962
○ C) 1969
○ D) 1980
2. Starfish Prime caused:
○ A) No effects
○ B) EMP blackouts in Hawaii
○ C) Moon landing
○ D) Hurricane
Write: What Operation Fishbowl was. Effects of Starfish Prime. The timeline relationship to Apollo.
Is independent exploration permitted?
U.S. Navy officer who led Antarctic expeditions:
Why does Antarctica have the only internationally regulated travel restrictions on Earth?
Why was Operation High Jump so large for a "mapping" mission?
1. The Antarctic Treaty was signed in:
○ A) 1945
○ B) 1959
○ C) 1969
○ D) 1980
2. Operation High Jump included approximately:
○ A) 100 personnel
○ B) 500 personnel
○ C) 4,700 personnel
○ D) 10,000 personnel
Write: When the Antarctic Treaty was signed. What it prohibits. Facts about Operation High Jump.
According to NASA:
| Observation | Official Explanation |
|---|---|
| Continent size variations in photos | Perspective/projection distortions |
| Cloud pattern similarities | Data layering over time |
| "Anomalies" in ISS footage | Optical illusions, debris, artifacts |
1. According to NASA, Blue Marble-type Earth images are:
○ A) Single photographs
○ B) Composites from multiple sources
○ C) Paintings
○ D) CGI
2. The ISS orbits at approximately:
○ A) 100 km
○ B) 400 km
○ C) 1,000 km
○ D) 10,000 km
Write: How NASA creates Earth images. ISS altitude and its relation to Van Allen belts.
NASA's Explanation: This refers to discontinued Saturn V production—the tooling, not the knowledge, was "destroyed."
Multiple astronauts have given varying accounts about seeing stars from space:
Explanation given: Camera exposure and eye adaptation affect star visibility.
1. Don Pettit's "destroyed technology" refers to:
○ A) Knowledge of space travel
○ B) Saturn V manufacturing tooling
○ C) Apollo spacecraft
○ D) Moon itself
2. Artemis III was delayed to:
○ A) 2024
○ B) 2025
○ C) 2027
○ D) 2030
Write: Don Pettit's quote and NASA's explanation. Current Artemis timeline and challenges.
| Agency | Position on Apollo |
|---|---|
| ESA (Europe) | Confirms Apollo via data sharing |
| JAXA (Japan) | Confirms Apollo |
| Roscosmos (Russia) | Official acknowledgment; some officials skeptical |
| CNSA (China) | Acknowledges landings; plans own moon base |
Dmitry Rogozin (former Roscosmos head) made skeptical remarks but Russia officially cooperates on space projects.
Third-party verification: Multiple observatories worldwide have bounced lasers off lunar retroreflectors.
This confirms were placed on the Moon—though both manned and unmanned missions have placed them.
During Apollo missions, independent radio operators and observatories tracked transmissions from the Moon.
1. International space agencies generally:
○ A) Deny Apollo
○ B) Acknowledge Apollo
○ C) Have no position
○ D) Are uncertain
2. Retroreflectors prove that:
○ A) Humans walked on Moon
○ B) Hardware was placed on Moon
○ C) Nothing
○ D) Moon doesn't exist
Write: International agency positions on Apollo. What retroreflectors actually prove.
Estimated radiation exposure for Mars round-trip: ~ Sv (significantly increases cancer risk)
Question: If Apollo successfully navigated the belts 50+ years ago, why do we need to "refine models" now?
1. Mars round-trip radiation exposure is approximately:
○ A) 0.01 Sv
○ B) 0.66 Sv
○ C) 5 Sv
○ D) 100 Sv
2. NASA's top stated challenge for deep space is:
○ A) Fuel cost
○ B) Radiation
○ C) Distance
○ D) Weather
Write: NASA's top challenges for Mars. Questions about Van Allen transit today vs. Apollo era.
Raqia (רָקִיעַ) - firmament, expanse
Root: raqa - to beat out, stamp, spread out (like metal)
Whatever conclusions you reach about space, let Scripture be your foundation. Test all things. Hold fast to truth.
1. The Hebrew word "raqia" literally means:
○ A) Empty space
○ B) Something beaten out
○ C) Clouds
○ D) Stars
2. Job 37:18 describes the sky as:
○ A) Empty vacuum
○ B) Strong, like a molten looking glass
○ C) Gas clouds
○ D) Infinite
Write: Three Scripture references about the heavens. What "raqia" means in Hebrew.
Discuss with someone what Scripture says about the heavens and the firmament.
Person discussed with: Date:
Focus on documented facts. Ask questions with humility. Trust Scripture above all. Avoid both gullibility and paranoia. Remember that our citizenship is in heaven—not dependent on any earthly institution.
Write: Five principles for evaluating claims. Three things we can verify. The Christian approach to uncertainty.
| Topic | Key Documented Fact |
|---|---|
| NASA Origins | Operation Paperclip recruited 1,600 German scientists |
| Van Allen Belts | Radiation zones at 640+ km altitude |
| Apollo Technology | Original telemetry tapes were erased |
| Operation Fishbowl | Nuclear tests in space, 1962 |
| Antarctic Treaty | Restricts access, 54 nations party |
| NASA Imagery | Earth images are composites |
| Current Status | Artemis delayed, radiation "challenge" |
Whatever conclusions you reach, let them be based on:
Write: Seven documented facts from this workbook. Four questions worth further research.
| Lesson | Done | Day 1 | Day 3 | Day 7 | Day 21 | Day 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. NASA Origins | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 2. Van Allen Belts | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 3. Apollo Technology | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 4. Operation Fishbowl | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 5. Antarctic Treaty | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 6. NASA Imagery | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 7. Astronaut Quotes | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 8. Third-Party Views | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 9. Current Challenges | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 10. Biblical Cosmology | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 11. Critical Thinking | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 12. Summary | ___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Fill-ins: Paperclip, 1,600, V-2, Saturn, 1958
MC: 1-C, 2-B
Fill-ins: magnetic, Allen, 1-2, 1
MC: 1-B, 2-C, 3-B
Fill-ins: 1.3, S
MC: 1-A, 2-B, 3-C
Fill-ins: nuclear, Hawaii, 1958
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: 1959, permits
MC: 1-B, 2-C
Fill-ins: 400
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: technology, painful, 2027
MC: 1-B, 2-C
Fill-ins: hardware
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-ins: 0.66
MC: 1-B, 2-B
MC: 1-B, 2-B
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