His mistake is believing that nonsense to begin with.
Why not actually debate? I could just say “your mistake is believing in FE nonsense” but I’m not going to because we were having a discussion.
Are you supposing that the entire science of orbital mechanics and transfers is fabricated?
All the evidence (here on earth) for space travel that could POSSIBLY exist DOES exist. Photos, jobs, entire sciences, launches, tracking. But because you can’t go to Mars and look at the rover itself, the whole thing must not be real?
I don't care if you think I am making a mistake in what I believe.
Calling a belief foolish is debate.
I believe in what I can sense and mentally fathom.
I can point to the things present around me, occupying the areas I have been or am in, and state, "I understand ..."
And that is just for a very small portion of things.
To claim I can look at things I do not have access to and lay any sort of claim consisting of, "THIS IS REALITY," is just nutso thinking.
There is no such thing as "space travel," except the space defined as within the limits of the atmoplane, and some guy named Jules Verne back in the 1800's, with his huge fan base carrying on the tradition.