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2h ago

LRO Photos Show 60‑Foot Crater Made by SpaceX Falcon 9 Impact

The images give scientists precise measurements to validate impact and planetary defense models as they reveal gaps in cislunar debris tracking.

This is an animated before-and-after view of the crater formed after a Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon’s surface on Aug. 5, 2026. These images were taken between Aug. 11 and 12 by the Narrow-Angle Camera on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. These images are enlarged three times from the original, with north facing up, and they cover an area about a quarter of a mile wide.
After view of the crater formed after a Falcon 9 upper stage struck the moon’s surface on August 5. These images were taken between August 11 and 12 by the Narrow-Angle Camera on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Danuri's cameras captured images from before and after the impact.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket struck the moon at the light blue dot, a spot within two oval-shaped prediction zones.

Overview

  • A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon on Aug. 5, 2026 after more than a year drifting in a moon‑crossing orbit, impacting at about 5,400 mph and weighing roughly 4–5 metric tons.
  • NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured before‑and‑after images on Aug. 11–12 and released them Aug. 18, showing a roughly 60‑foot (18 m) wide crater that is less than 10 feet deep at 19.4759°N, 266.7138°E.
  • The photos reveal bright and dark ejecta rays that show fresh material excavated from deeper layers near the rim and older, weathered surface material excavated from about 1.5 feet depth.
  • Locating and imaging the site was an international effort: independent trackers and ground telescopes first identified the trajectory, NASA’s CNEOS refined the impact coordinates, and South Korea’s Danuri provided early images used to guide LRO’s precise pointing.
  • Researchers say the event provides a rare, well‑constrained real‑world case to validate crater and ejecta models and test planetary‑defense prediction tools while highlighting limits in current cislunar tracking and disposal practices.