An upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, no longer in use, has crashed into the moon's surface. The impact occurred at approximately 5,400 miles per hour (8,690 km/h) near the Einstein Crater on the moon's side facing Earth.
The spacecraft is approximately 39 feet long and weighs 4,500 kg, comparable in size to a five-story building. Scientists estimate the impact generated an explosive force equivalent to 15,000 sticks of dynamite, or three tonnes of TNT. This event is expected to create a flash visible through a telescope from Earth and a cloud of dust and debris that could linger for tens of minutes due to the moon's lack of atmosphere and low gravity.
Astronomers anticipate the impact will form a new crater on the lunar surface, measuring about 27 meters (88 feet) across and five meters (16 feet) deep.
The Falcon 9 rocket originally launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in January 2025. Its mission was to deliver two private lunar landers, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost and ispace's Resilience, into lunar orbit. While some Falcon 9 components are designed for reuse and return to Earth, other stages are jettisoned after deployment.
In this instance, the upper stage, after releasing its payloads, drifted through space. Its trajectory was influenced by the moon's gravitational pull, leading to a collision course. NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) identified the rocket's path, confirming it was set to impact the moon after independent astronomers observed its trajectory.
Scientists and space agencies were monitoring the rocket's approach. Information regarding whether any images of the crash site have been captured is still pending.