Overview
- Tracking data and space agencies report that the roughly four‑ton Falcon 9 second stage struck the Moon on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, near Einstein Crater at about 5,400 mph.
- The object came from a January 15, 2025 Falcon 9 launch that carried Firefly’s Blue Ghost and ispace’s Resilience, with the upper stage left in deep space after completing its mission.
- Agencies estimate the impact excavated an 18–27 metre crater and produced an ejecta plume, but immediate visual flashes were faint and high‑resolution confirmation awaits imagery from lunar orbiters now tasked to capture before‑and‑after views.
- SpaceX and NASA say the strike was unintentional, caused by months of slow orbital perturbations from solar radiation pressure and multi‑body gravity acting on a passivated stage that had no fuel to manoeuvre.
- Scientists and independent trackers who predicted the collision see it as a rare chance to validate crater and ejecta models, and the event is intensifying pressure for better cislunar tracking, disposal standards, and coordinated traffic management.