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22h ago

NASA Publishes LRO Images Confirming Falcon 9 Stage Made 18‑Meter Crater on Moon

The photographs give scientists a close view of excavated lunar layers and will inform tracking and disposal practices as commercial missions increase.

Difunde la NASA imágenes del cráter que dejó choque de cohete en la Luna
La NASA confirma el impacto del cohete de SpaceX en la Luna con imágenes de un cráter de 18 metros
Image
De acuerdo con las precisiones brindadas por el equipo científico de la agencia espacial estadounidense, las fotografías captadas por la sonda Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).

Overview

  • High-resolution images taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on August 11–12 and released by NASA this week show an about 18‑meter‑wide, under‑3‑meter‑deep crater with bright and dark radial streaks.
  • South Korea’s Danuri and the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope first detected the impact plume on August 5 and their data helped NASA point the LRO to the site.
  • The object was a roughly four‑ton Falcon 9 upper stage launched January 15, 2025 that struck the Moon at an estimated 8,700 km/h, releasing energy roughly equivalent to three tons of TNT.
  • NASA says the unplanned collision posed no danger to Earth or to the Moon and described the disposal method as an accepted practice while using international observations to guide follow‑up imaging.
  • Scientists are using the images and VLT spectroscopy to study the Moon’s surface and near‑subsurface composition, and the episode highlights the need for better tracking and coordination as lunar commercial traffic grows.