A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage was expected to collide with the Moon early Wednesday after spending more than a year in space, in what scientists described as an accidental impact.
The object, weighing about 4 metric tons, is the rocket’s second stage that launched a Firefly Aerospace lunar lander in January 2025. It was projected to strike Einstein Crater on the Moon’s western edge at around 2:35 a.m. ET (0635 GMT) while travelling at approximately 5,400 mph (8,690 kph).
The impact was not part of the original mission, and no spacecraft orbiting the Moon was expected to capture the collision in real time because of the crater’s location.
NASA said the event poses no threat to Earth and could provide researchers with useful information for studying lunar impacts and improving the tracking of objects in space.
Scientists also noted that the collision highlights the growing issue of space debris. The Moon is now estimated to contain about 3,000 human made objects, with a combined mass of roughly 190 tonnes, raising broader questions about the long-term management of debris around the Moon.
Leave a comment