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NewsKPBS Public MediaAugust 2, 2026San Diego

Defunct SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage to impact the moon

A discarded upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is projected to collide with the moon on Wednesday at approximately 2:35 a.m. ET. The debris, roughly the size of a five-story building, is expected to strike near the Einstein Crater at speeds exceeding 5,000 miles per hour.

space explorationSpaceXlunar scienceNASA
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Why It Matters

The impact provides a rare opportunity for scientists to study lunar surface changes and impact dynamics using the and ground-based telescopes.

Key Facts

  • A piece of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will strike the moon on Wednesday at approximately 2:35 a.m. ET.
  • The object is traveling at more than 5,000 miles per hour.
  • The debris is part of the rocket's upper stage and is roughly the size of a five-story building.
  • The impact is expected to occur in the northwestern portion of the moon near the Einstein Crater.
  • The collision is projected to create a crater at least 17 meters in diameter.
  • NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will pass over the site before and after the impact to observe surface changes.
  • The rocket piece was originally launched in January 2025 to carry lunar landers and scientific instruments.
  • SpaceX did not intend for the rocket piece to hit the moon.
  • Visibility of the impact from Earth will be difficult and likely requires sensitive professional equipment rather than standard binoculars.

Who's Mentioned

other17“Estimated diameter of the resulting crater in meters.”locationEinstein Crater“Target area for the rocket impact.”organizationSpaceX“Manufacturer of the Falcon 9 rocket.”personBill Gray“Software developer who tracks space objects.”other5,000“Speed of the rocket piece in miles per hour.”organizationNASA Goddard Space Flight Center“Home of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project.”personBrent Garry“Project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.”personBen Fernando“Researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory.”