● Covered by 3 sources · 6 reportsLow impact6 neutral
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Upper Stage Expected to Crash into Moon in August
Key points
- Falcon 9 upper stage to hit Moon on August 5 near Einstein Crater.
- Rocket stage originated from January 2025 Firefly Blue Ghost mission.
- Astronomers can observe the impact with ground-based telescopes.
- Opportunity to study dust plumes and artificial space debris impacts.
- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images of the new crater.
- The crater is 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep.
- LRO's Narrow-Angle Camera captured features as small as three feet wide.
- NASA engineers tilted the LRO to photograph the crater.
Projected Lunar Impact
On August 5, at approximately 2:35 AM ET, an upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to collide with the Moon. The impact site is anticipated to be near the Einstein Crater. This prediction was made by Bill Gray, creator of the Project Pluto program, after analyzing the rocket's orbital data.
Origin of the Rocket Stage
The Falcon 9 upper stage involved in the upcoming impact was part of SpaceX's Firefly Blue Ghost mission, launched on January 15, 2025. During this mission, the rocket carried Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander and ispace's Hakuto-R lunar lander. After deploying its payloads, the rocket stage ran out of fuel and has been drifting in space since then, unable to return to Earth.
Impact Characteristics
The upper stage measures approximately 39 feet long and 13 feet wide, with a weight of about 4,000 kilograms. It is projected to strike the lunar surface at a speed of 5,400 mph. Despite its size, a study by Gray and his colleagues indicates the impact will not be substantial, as the stage is a hollow shell and moving slower than most natural lunar impactors.
Scientific Observation Opportunity
This event offers astronomers a chance to observe an artificial impact in real-time. Researchers can use this opportunity to study the dynamics of dust and plume movement resulting from impact events on the Moon. It also allows for investigation into the potential hazards posed by artificial space debris impacts on celestial bodies.
Visibility for Observers
The impact will be most visible from locations experiencing complete darkness at the time of the event. This includes parts of South America and low-to-mid latitude North America. Astronomers in North America, particularly away from the West Coast, have a higher likelihood of witnessing the crash, especially if the Moon is high in the sky during the impact.
Updates
- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images of the new crater.
- The crater is 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep.
- LRO's Narrow-Angle Camera captured features as small as three feet wide.
- NASA engineers tilted the LRO to photograph the crater.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images confirming a new crater on the Moon caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage crash on August 5. The LRO had to be tilted to photograph the 60-foot wide, 12-foot deep crater, which was predicted by independent astronomers.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) released before-and-after images from its lunar orbiter Danuri, showing the crater left by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket upper stage that crashed into the moon on August 5. This event provides scientists with a rare opportunity to study the impact of human-made objects on the lunar surface and understand ejecta plumes.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, specifically its upper stage from the January 2025 Blue Ghost mission, has crashed into the moon as predicted by independent astronomer Bill Grey. This event created a new crater approximately 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep, and lunar orbiters are attempting to image the impact site.
An upper stage of a SpaceX rocket, which delivered lunar landers in early 2025, is projected to crash into the moon at 5,400 mph. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter will track the impact to study its effects on the lunar surface and the behavior of ejected material.
An upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, designated 2025-010D, is projected to impact the Moon on August 5, 2026, at approximately 06:35 UTC. This event, resulting from a lunar mission in 2025, highlights the issue of space debris disposal and may offer minor scientific interest.
An upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is projected to crash into the Moon near the Einstein Crater on August 5. This event provides astronomers with a rare opportunity to observe an artificial impact in real-time, allowing for studies on dust plume movement and space debris hazards.