SpaceX rocket debris crashes into Moon, creates new crater

A four-ton piece of SpaceX rocket debris, roughly the size of a school bus, crashed into the Moon early Wednesday, creating a new crater. The object, which was the second stage of a Falcon 9 rocket launched in early 2025, struck near the Einstein Crater at about 8,700 kilometers per hour (5,400 miles per hour). This impact released energy equivalent to around three tonnes of TNT, according to tracking data from independent astronomers and space agencies.

The crash occurred due to the gravitational influences of the Sun, Earth, and Moon, which altered the rocket's flight path over the past 18 months. SpaceX confirmed that the trajectory leading to the collision was unintentional but unavoidable, given the rocket's remaining fuel reserves. Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX's director of NASA science and Dragon programs, explained that solar activity and gravity forces combined to direct the debris toward the Moon.

In response to the impact, orbital observation crafts such as NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft are adjusting their instruments to capture the event. Although the impact flash will be obscured by lunar daylight, these orbiters plan to analyze the ejected dust plume and take high-resolution images of the newly formed crater, providing valuable data on high-velocity cosmic impacts.

This collision marks the second known instance of space debris striking the Moon, the first being a piece of a Chinese Long March 3C rocket in March 2022. Experts, including space tracking analyst Bill Gray, note that while this incident does not pose immediate danger, it raises concerns about the increasing clutter in space. As more missions launch, the issue of disposing of leftover hardware safely becomes more pressing.