Four-tonne SpaceX rocket stage crashes into Moon

A four-tonne piece of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is believed to have crashed into the Moon on August 5, creating a new crater. The upper stage hit the lunar surface near the Einstein Crater at around 06:35 GMT, travelling at nearly 8,690 kmph.

The rocket launched in January 2025 to push two lunar landers. SpaceX performed a safety manoeuvre for the second stage, but solar activity and gravity altered its path, sending it towards the Moon. Independent astronomer Bill Gray tracked the debris and by January 2026 was certain of the collision.

NASA and South Korea's Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter are expected to take images of the impact site, though it may take days to receive the data. Scientists plan to study the plume and debris to improve understanding of space junk around the Moon. The European Space Agency has reported more than 46,000 pieces of space debris in orbit, weighing 17,000 tonnes. There is no danger to Earth, NASA said.