NASA just published the sharpest images yet of the impact site on the moon created by a SpaceX rocket. The Falcon upper stage struck the lunar surface on August 5 at a speed of 5,400 mph, ending a long path through space that began in 2025.
Captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter from 60 miles above the surface, the photos show a fresh crater spanning 60 feet across. Scientists measured the depth at less than 10 feet. The images reveal dark and light streaks stretching out from the center, which researchers interpret as surface material displaced by the high-speed collision. The darker lines consist of material from the near-surface that solar radiation shaped over time, while the brighter rays show fresh rock and dirt thrown up from deeper layers.
This impact follows the rocket’s mission to deploy private moon landers and a small rover. NASA remains active in monitoring these lunar changes as part of the broader effort to support future human landings on the moon. The orbiter required a week of positioning after the crash to finally capture these clear visuals as the moon rotated underneath its trajectory.