An 8,800-pound SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster is on track to strike the lunar surface this Wednesday. The booster, which was part of a January 2025 mission, will impact the moon at 5,400 mph. Scientists estimate the collision will produce a crater between 65 and 100 feet in diameter and roughly 16 feet deep.
SpaceX officials state that the company followed all standard protocols for the disposal of the second stage after its mission. However, a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces altered the trajectory of the hardware. The object has remained in orbit since its original launch date, and its current path now terminates on the lunar surface.
Observers should not expect to see the impact. Because the event occurs on the lit side of the moon, visibility is restricted, and no artificial impact flash of this nature has been recorded in the past. Researchers do not anticipate that even high-powered telescopes will capture the moment of contact.
NASA plans to use the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to capture before and after photos of the site. While the impact will not be visible to the public, scientists intend to use the event for data collection. By analyzing the dust plume and potential gas lofted by the crash, researchers hope to confirm the presence and volume of water ice beneath the moon's surface in that region.
Historical records show that man-made impacts on the moon are rare but serve a scientific purpose. Past collisions, such as the 2009 NASA mission, confirmed the presence of water ice at the lunar south pole. This data is critical as international agencies assess the moon for potential base construction.