Other mistake: The sphere operates through the opening and closing of Cavorite blinds to negate the force of gravity. It has no engines at all. Why then, when it lifts off from the moon, do you see a blast of what appears to be rocket exhaust?
Other mistake: The abandoned orbiter requires fuel to decelerate and drop out of its stable orbit. Mantee knew the orbiting spacecraft was out of fuel before leaving it, but he was still trying to give the craft voice commands to land some forty minutes into the film.