Shocking images captured by a Korean lunar satellite have revealed the new crater created by the impact of a discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon.
On Wednesday, the 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) rocket stage collided with the lunar surface at approximately 5,400 miles per hour (8,690 km/h). Scientists estimate the impact force was equivalent to 15,000 sticks of dynamite.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute's (KARI) Danuri spacecraft flew over the impact site shortly after the collision and captured images. The orbiter had also taken images of the area about 30 minutes prior to the impact, providing a clear before-and-after comparison. The resulting crater is estimated to be up to 27 meters (89 feet) across and five meters (16 feet) deep. The area surrounding the impact site appears darker due to dust and rock ejected by the blast.
KARI stated that its observations confirmed changes in the terrain and traces of ejecta spread around the impact site. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is also expected to capture detailed images of the crater in the coming week.
Researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía in Spain claim to have recorded footage of the impact itself, capturing the plume of dust and debris kicked into space, as the actual flash was hidden behind the moon's limb.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was launched in January of the previous year carrying two private lunar landers. The rocket's second stage was not intended to crash into the moon. While the primary booster is designed to be reusable, the upper stages are typically jettisoned and burn up in Earth's atmosphere. In this case, a combination of lunar gravity and solar weather is believed to have altered the trajectory of this particular stage, leading to the collision.
Scientists have expressed excitement about the impact, viewing it as a rare opportunity to study a lunar impact under controlled conditions. Unlike meteorite impacts, the mass and composition of the rocket are known, allowing for more precise analysis of the resulting ejecta and its effect on the lunar surface. This controlled impact serves as a valuable scientific experiment for understanding the moon's history and impact processes.
This incident follows a previous event in 2022 when pieces of a Chinese spacecraft left two craters on the far side of the moon. In 2006, the European Space Agency deliberately crashed the SMART-1 satellite into the moon for scientific observation.
While the immediate risk from such impacts is considered low and does not pose a threat to human life or affect Earth, concerns are growing about the increasing amount of human-made debris in orbit and on the moon. Approximately 3,000 human-made objects, totaling about 190 tonnes, are currently on the moon. Astronomers warn that as lunar infrastructure and bases are planned by various space agencies and private companies, the accumulation of space debris could pose a future risk to missions and astronauts.