SpaceX Rocket Debris Crashes Into Moon, Leaving New Crater

A large piece of discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket debris, weighing about four tonnes and roughly the size of a school bus, has crashed into the Moon, creating a fresh crater and giving scientists a rare opportunity to study high-speed impacts on the lunar surface.

According to space-tracking data, the rocket's second stage struck the Moon near Einstein Crater at a speed of about 8,700 kilometres per hour (5,400 mph). The impact released energy comparable to approximately three tonnes of TNT.

The rocket stage was launched in early 2025. Instead of returning to Earth, it remained in space, where the combined gravitational pull of the Earth, Moon, and Sun gradually altered its orbit, eventually sending it on a collision course with the Moon.

SpaceX said the impact was unintentional and could not be avoided because the rocket no longer had enough fuel to change its trajectory.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and South Korea's Danuri lunar spacecraft are expected to observe the impact site, capturing detailed images of the new crater and the dust cloud produced by the collision.

Space-tracking expert Bill Gray said the incident poses no immediate danger but highlights the growing challenge of managing abandoned space hardware as Earth's orbital environment becomes increasingly crowded.

This is only the second confirmed case of discarded rocket debris accidentally crashing into the Moon. The first occurred in March 2022, when part of a Chinese Long March 3C rocket impacted the Moon's far side, creating an unusual double crater.

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