SpaceX Rocket Stage to Impact Moon Wednesday, Creating New Crater

A four-tonne piece of a SpaceX rocket, adrift in space since January 2025, is scheduled to collide with the Moon on Wednesday, August 6, 2026. The unintentional impact, occurring at approximately 06:35 GMT, will create a new lunar crater and provide scientists with a unique opportunity for research. The object, the second stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is traveling at roughly 5,400 mph (8,690 km/h) toward the lunar surface.

The space junk is expected to hit the Moon’s western limb within the Einstein crater. Nasa estimates the impact will generate a crater approximately 60 feet (18 meters) wide and 12 feet (four meters) deep, ejecting lunar dust and rock. While the resulting plume may be illuminated by sunlight, it is unlikely to be visible from Earth with the naked eye. Nasa scientists plan to observe the impact site, utilizing any collected data to enhance understanding of artificial impacts and their implications for space exploration.

"The impact poses no danger to Earth and Nasa scientists are planning to collect lunar data from the event and refine techniques for tracking objects in space," said Jimi Russell, a representative for Nasa. Typically, spent rocket stages re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up or splash into the ocean after delivering their payload. However, this particular stage remained in orbit due to the mission's requirement for extended thrust.

Scientific Opportunity and Space Junk Concerns

The uncontrolled trajectory of the rocket stage toward the Moon was determined earlier this year. "What has happened is essentially a mixture of solar activity and gravity forces have put it on a path toward the moon," explained Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX's director of Nasa science and Dragon programs. While the scientific value is considered minor, the event could yield new insights. "This may be of some – probably minor — scientific interest, and we may learn some things from it," stated Bill Gray, creator of popular astronomy software who reported on the impending impact. Gray also noted that the incident highlights a growing concern over the disposal of space junk.

Collisions with the Moon are rare occurrences. In March 2022, a Chinese rocket stage impacted the lunar surface after a test mission. Nasa deliberately crashed a rocket stage into the Moon in 2009 to study the ejecta plume. Several recent lunar landing attempts have ended in crashes, including Russia's Luna-25 mission in 2023 and India's Chandrayaan-2 lander in 2019, as well as Israel's Beresheet lander in the same year. Notably, the Beresheet lander carried microscopic tardigrades, which may have survived the impact.

The upcoming SpaceX rocket stage impact occurs as the company navigates its first quarterly report as a public entity. Despite reporting a smaller-than-expected loss and increased revenue, SpaceX shares experienced a downturn amid investor skepticism regarding its long-term objectives. Nasa and SpaceX are reportedly collaborating on strategies to prevent similar future lunar impacts. This event underscores the increasing challenges of managing orbital debris and ensuring the long-term sustainability of space missions.