Apollo 18

                   Theres a reason we've never been back to the moon

In December 1974, the crew of the cancelled ''Apollo 18'' mission is informed that it will now proceed as a top secret Department of Defense (DoD) mission disguised as a satellite launch. Commander Nathan Walker, Lieutenant Colonel John Grey, and Captain Ben Anderson are launched toward the [[Moon]] to place detectors to alert the United States of any impending attacks from the USSR.

Grey remains in orbit aboard the ''Freedom'' Command module while Walker and Anderson land on the moon in the lunar module ''Liberty''. While planting one of the detectors, the pair take moon rock samples. After returning to ''Liberty'', the pair hear noises outside and a camera captures a small rock moving nearby. Houston claims the noises are interference from the ICBM detectors. Anderson finds a rock sample on the floor of ''Liberty'' despite having secured the samples. During further lunar exploration they discover footprints that lead them to a bloodstained, functioning Soviet spacecraft, and a dead cosmonaut in a nearby crater. Walker queries Houston about the Soviet presence but is told only to continue with the mission.

The following day the pair find that the flag they had planted is missing. Their mission complete, the crew prepares to leave, but the launch is aborted when ''Liberty'' suffers violent shaking. An inspection reveals extensive damage to ''Liberty'' and non-human tracks that Walker cites as evidence of [[extraterrestrial life]]. Walker feels something moving inside his spacesuit and is horrified as a spider-like creature crawls across the inside of his helmet. Walker disappears from view and Anderson finds him unconscious outside of ''Liberty''. Walker later denies the events. A wound is discovered on Walker's chest; Anderson removes a moon rock embedded within him. The pair find themselves unable to contact Houston or Grey due to increased levels of interference from an unknown source.

Anderson speculates that the true intention of the ICBM warning devices is to monitor the aliens, and that the devices are the source of the interference, only to discover something has destroyed them when they attempt to switch them off. Walker shows signs of a developing infection and he becomes increasingly paranoid. The mission cameras capture the rock samples moving around in the interior of ''Liberty'', revealing that the aliens are concealed as moon rocks. Increasingly delusional, Walker attempts to destroy the cameras within ''Liberty'' but accidentally damages the system controls, causing ''Liberty'' to depressurize. Realizing the Soviet LK is their only source of oxygen, the pair travel towards the LK lander in their lunar rover. Walker causes the vehicle to crash as he runs away, believing he should not leave the moon because of the risk of spreading the infection to Earth.

Anderson awakens and tracks Walker to the crater where they found the cosmonaut. Walker is pulled into the crater by the creatures. Anderson gives chase, but is confronted by the aliens, and flees to the Soviet LK. Anderson uses its radio to contact USSR Mission Control who connect him to the DoD. The deputy secretary informs Anderson that they cannot allow him to return to Earth, admitting they are aware of the situation and fear he is also infected. Anderson manages to contact Grey and they make arrangements for Anderson to return to ''Freedom''. Anderson prepares the lander for launch but it is attacked by a psychotic Walker. Before Walker can enter the vehicle, he is attacked by a swarm of the creatures, which breach his helmet, killing him.

Anderson launches, but the DoD warns Grey that Anderson is infected and orders him to abort the rescue or communication will be ceased, rendering Grey unable to return to Earth. As the lander enters orbit, the reduced gravity causes small rocks within the craft to float, some of which reveal themselves to be alien creatures. Anderson is attacked and infected by the creatures, preventing him from controlling the vehicle, leaving it headed uncontrolled toward ''Freedom''. The space footage ends abruptly.

The footage cuts to before the pilots' mission, showing them having a barbecue with friends and family. The "official" fate of the astronauts is given, describing them as having died in various accidents that left their bodies unrecoverable. An epilogue explains that many of the rock samples returned from the previous Apollo missions are now missing.

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