[macspoofing]

>scamming a trusting, patriotic 60's public on TV or landing a human being on a foreign planet

Not only 60's public but also the public of every subsequent year (and by "public" you have to include scientists, engineers and otherwise intelligent men and women from all walks of life). Given all that I'd say the former is much harder (downright impossible) to accomplish.

[learc83]

Also none of the thousands of people involved, who would have had to be in on the secret, have come forward.

It would be much harder for thousands of people to keep such a secret, than it would to just go to the moon.