Overview
- The Falcon 9 second stage struck the Moon on Aug. 5, 2026, hitting near Einstein Crater at about 5,400 mph and forming a crater estimated at roughly 18–27 meters wide and a few meters deep.
- South Korea’s Danuri orbiter returned before-and-after high-resolution images showing a darker patch and ejecta traces, and the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope detected sodium and lithium in a transient plume; NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to image the site next.
- The object was the spent upper stage from a Jan. 2025 Falcon 9 launch that sent Firefly Aerospace and ispace landers toward the Moon and then remained in a high, moon‑crossing orbit that evolved under solar radiation pressure and gravity.
- Researchers say having the stage’s known mass, speed and trajectory gives a rare real-world chance to test crater-formation and ejecta models using the observed plume and surface changes.
- The impact exposes shortcomings in disposal practices for high-energy lunar missions, renews calls for clearer cislunar traffic rules, and highlights the role of independent trackers in predicting and documenting such events.