NASA has ordered that no photo be taken of the launch site after the moon mission has taken off

What do they not want us to see?

No pictures please

NASA banned the press from photographing the launch site of its Space Launch System afterward this gave the agency a boost Artemis I Moon Mission into space earlier this week.

Multiple space reporters said on Twitter that the agency sent them a message barring them from photographing the Artemis 1 launch tower after liftoff.

“NASA did not provide a reason,” Eric Berger, Ars Technicasenior space editor, tweeted. The reporter added that according to his sources, the ban was apparently an attempt to save face after the launch damaged the tower.

“So now sources say that yes, the turret of Launch Complex-39B was damaged during the Artemis I launch on Wednesday morning,” Berger tweeted. “Basically, there were leaks and damage where there shouldn’t have been leaks and damage.”

Damaging reports

Later, The Washington Post space reporter Christian Davenport released a statement from NASA, which appeared to corroborate Berger’s sources, although he emphasized that there was “no word of damage” to the launch pad.

“Due to the current state of the configuration there is [International Traffic in Arms Regulations license] restrictions and photos are not allowed at this time,” Davenport said in a statement. “There is also debris around the launch pad as expected and the team is currently assessing.”

Whatever NASA’s motives, it’s pretty clear that the agency doesn’t want unapproved photos of its own expensive and late A Space Launch System rocket goes public. NASA loves positive publicity, it seems – but not negative publicity.

More on the Artemis 1 launch: NASA says it’s okay that some pieces may have fallen off its moon rocket during launch