SpaceX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Slams Into Moon Near Einstein Crater

A four-tonne, spent Apnews Falcon 9 upper stage has collided with the moon at a speed of 5,400 mph (8,700 kph). The rocket body, which is more than 40 feet (12 meters) long and stands the height of a five-storey building, drifted off course for a year before making impact on Wednesday near Einstein Crater on the moon’s sunlit western limb.

SpaceX Rocket Stage Slams Into Moon Near Einstein Crater

According to scientists, the collision produced a debris plume and is expected to blast out a lunar crater roughly 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep. The event posed no danger to Earth.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Slams Into Moon Near Einstein Crater — Photo: The Guardian

The discarded hardware originated from a Jan. 15, 2025, launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. That mission deployed two commercial lunar landers: Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost and ispace’s Resilience. While Resilience wrecked on descent, Blue Ghost successfully landed, becoming the first private spacecraft to do so. Because the lunar mission required high thrust, the rocket’s second stage remained in space rather than plunging into Earth’s atmosphere or ocean. A combination of solar activity and gravitational forces subsequently altered its orbit, placing it on a collision course with the lunar surface.

Scientists Track Ejecta Plume and Anticipate Crater Imagery

Although no ground observers witnessed the actual collision, a telescope in Chile spotted the resulting debris plume. Boston University’s Carl Schmidt stated that he is “100% certain” his team’s observations captured signs of the crash. The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope detected a stream of sodium and lithium stretching for tens of kilometers into space for five to 10 minutes following the impact.

The Moon's rugged surface is on display in this image. Most of the Moon is visible, with the bottom of the sphere — Photo: NASA

Researchers emphasized that studying the post-impact behavior provides valuable data. William Jo of the University of Texas, Austin noted that hollow, spacecraft-like bodies create very different plumes than natural impactors like asteroids or comets. According to a study led by Benjamin Fernando of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the maximum ballistic range of resolved particles from the crash reaches slightly under 1,000 kilometers, posing significance for future lunar infrastructure.

Visual confirmation of the impact site and measurements of the resulting crater will rely on orbital assets. Brent Garry, a project scientist for NASA‘s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at Goddard Space Flight Center, explained that the spacecraft will pass over the crash site about a week after the event to target imagery. The ShadowCam instrument aboard South Korea’s Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter will also review the area.

Broader Context of Lunar Debris and Future Missions

The unplanned collision highlights growing concerns regarding lunar litter as space agencies and commercial entities increase lunar exploration. In 2022, a Chinese rocket stage unintentionally struck the moon following a lunar mission. Decades prior, other stray rocket pieces likely impacted the surface without scientific documentation.

Scientists are certain a SpaceX rocket crashed into the moon

Julianna Scheiman stated that The Guardian is working with Apnews to avoid future wrecks, noting the projected crash was accidental. While controlled disposal of upper stages on the lunar surface remains a technically accepted method for low lunar orbit missions, independent researchers point out that future crewed activities—such as NASA’s anticipated astronaut landings as early as 2028—will demand tighter management of lunar debris.

Key Mission and Impact Details
Metric / Event	Detail
Launch Date	Jan. 15, 2025
Impact Date	Wednesday (August 5)
Impact Velocity	5,400 mph (8,700 kph)
Rocket Stage Dimensions	Over 40 feet (12 meters) long (4 tonnes)
Target Area	Einstein Crater on the moon’s sunlit western limb