A SpaceX Rocket on Collision Course with Moon
An upper stage of a discarded SpaceX rocket is set to collide with the moon's near side at high speed, creating a crater and dust plume. The impact will occur near Einstein Crater at approximately 5,400 mph (8,700 kph), visible from parts of North America and South America. While scientists are not overly concerned about this specific event, it highlights growing concerns over space debris as orbital traffic increases. This is the second known accidental rocket impact on the moon; a Chinese rocket stage struck in 2022. The collision will release energy equivalent to three tons of TNT but may be too dim for direct observation from Earth. However, ejected material could remain visible through telescopes for several minutes. NASA and South Korea's Danuri orbiter plan to capture images before and after the impact. The rocket stage launched two lunar landers in January 2025—one successfully landed while the other crashed. Scientists are using this event to study debris hazards on future moon missions, as both U.S. and China aim for crewed lunar landings soon.
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Topics: astronomy moon collision rocket debris SpaceX