A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage has crashed into the Moon after drifting through space for more than a year. The collision was unintentional, but scientists had been tracking the object closely and are now studying its impact and the changes it may have caused on the lunar surface.
The rocket stage struck the Moon at approximately 6:35 a.m. GMT on August 5, travelling at around 5,400 miles per hour, or nearly 8,700 kilometres per hour. The object was estimated to weigh about four tonnes and was roughly the size of a school bus. It was the upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket launched in January 2025 to support missions involving lunar landers.
The impact occurred near the Einstein crater on the Moon’s western side. Scientists believe the collision may have created a crater between 20 and 30 metres wide, although its precise size will only be confirmed after spacecraft capture detailed images of the site. The impact was also expected to send a large cloud of lunar dust and debris several kilometres above the surface.
Initial observations indicated that the collision took place as predicted. The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope reportedly detected chemical traces linked to a plume after the impact. Researchers observed sodium and lithium gas for several minutes, with the sodium believed to have come from the lunar soil and some of the lithium possibly originating from the rocket material.
The incident did not pose any threat to Earth. NASA had earlier stated that the spent rocket stage was not on a path that could endanger the planet. Because the Moon has almost no atmosphere, the rocket entered the lunar surface at high speed without experiencing the atmospheric resistance that would affect an object approaching Earth.
Scientists are now hoping that lunar spacecraft will be able to examine the impact site. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft could capture images of the new crater when their orbital positions and lighting conditions are suitable. These observations may help researchers compare the lunar surface before and after the collision.
The event has also revived concerns about the growing amount of human-made material travelling through space. Unlike a planned lunar landing, the Falcon 9 stage was not intentionally directed toward the Moon after completing its original mission. Gravitational forces and changes in its trajectory eventually placed it on a collision course with the lunar surface.
Although the crash was not visible to people on Earth, it has created a valuable opportunity for scientific research. The newly formed crater, dust cloud and chemical traces could help scientists understand how impacts affect the Moon and prepare for future exploration missions.
