FLAT-EARTHERS have been mocked online by people pointing out that images from the recent SpaceX launch show the Earth as round.
The Nasa and SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket shot two US astronauts into space on Saturday and captured footage as it journeyed to the International Space Station.
Live images beamed back to Earth showed the Dragon crew capsule in orbit with the curvature of the Earth in the distance.
The launch was a historic event because it was the first time a private company has launched astronauts into space.
Almost as soon as the space rocket took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida the hashtag 'FlatEarth' was being thrown about online.
However, it wasn't coming from flat-earthers defending their theory but users mocking the idea with clips of children having tantrums and people in disbelief as they supposedly watched the launch footage.
Amazingly, some flat Earth Facebook groups were spotted trying to discredit the footage.
One user wrote: "Ok watched the launched live a moment ago...they keep switching cameras quickly when they go to the Earth being flat".
A Twitter user known as The Flat Earther wrote: "Why do you think earth is a globe? Because you see Photoshop images of it.
"Have you ever tried to prove the globe independently? If not, then you have no evidence of a globe."
As this debate continued online, astronauts Bob Behnken, 49, and Doug Hurley, 53 reached the International Space Station on Sunday.
The US astronauts reached their intended destination after 19 hours.
They then boarded the ISS where they were met by current residents, NASA’s Chris Cassidy and Russians Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner.
What is the ISS?
Here's what you need to know about the International Space Station...
- The International Space Station, often abbreviated to ISS, is a large space craft that orbits Earth and houses astronauts who go up there to complete scientific missions
- Many countries worked together to build it and they work together to use it
- It is made up of many pieces, which astronauts had to send up individually on rockets and put together from 1998 to 2000
- Ever since the year 2000, people have lived on the ISS
- Nasa uses the station to learn about living and working in space
- It is approximately 250 miles above Earth and orbits around the planet just like a satellite
- Living inside the ISS is said to be like living inside a big house with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a gym, lots of science labs and a big bay window for viewing Earth
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In other space news, the Virgin Orbit rocket flopped on its maiden voyage.
China has outlined plans to build an orbiting science lab by 2023.
And, the heart of our Milky Way galaxy is blinking at us, according to scientists.
What are your thoughts on the flat Earth theory? Let us know in the comments...
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