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NewsWSVN 7 MiamiJuly 31, 2026Miami-Dade

Abandoned SpaceX Rocket Set to Crash Into the Moon

A discarded SpaceX rocket stage is on track to collide with the moon on Wednesday, creating a crater and a plume of lunar dust. Scientists plan to use the event to study the impact of space debris on the lunar surface.

space explorationSpaceXlunar missionsspace debrisNASA
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Why It Matters

The collision provides a rare opportunity for scientists to study the effects of human-made debris on the moon, which helps inform safety protocols for future astronaut missions and lunar bases.

Key Facts

  • A SpaceX rocket upper stage will collide with the moon on Wednesday.
  • The rocket will impact at approximately 5,400 mph (8,700 kph).
  • The impact is expected to create a crater nearly 90 feet (27 meters) across and 16 feet (5 meters) deep.
  • The rocket segment measures 40 feet (12 meters) long and weighs approximately 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms).
  • The rocket was originally launched on Jan. 15, 2025, carrying two lunar landers.
  • The impact energy is estimated to be equivalent to three tons of TNT.
  • NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea's Danuri orbiter will observe the crash site.
  • The Danuri orbiter will pass within a few kilometers of the rocket two minutes before impact.
  • This is the second known accidental crash of a dead rocket into the moon, following a Chinese rocket segment in 2022.

Who's Mentioned

organizationFirefly Aerospace“Company that operated the Blue Ghost lunar lander.”organizationispace“Japan-based company whose lunar lander crashed.”personJonathan McDowell“Retired astrophysicist providing commentary on space debris.”organizationSpaceX“The company that launched the rocket stage currently on a collision course with ”personBill Gray“Space tracking expert who predicted the impact speed and location.”organizationNASA“U.S. space agency involved in lunar exploration and debris monitoring.”personBenjamin Fernando“Researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory studying the impact.”