Overview
- The Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, producing a short-lived dust and rock plume that telescopes in Chile and amateur observers detected.
- Scientists estimate the inert stage weighed about four tonnes, hit at roughly 8,690 km/h, and released energy near three tonnes of TNT, leaving a crater expected to be on the order of tens of metres across.
- The European Southern Observatory reported spectral lines for sodium and lithium in the plume, with the lithium likely coming from the rocket and sodium from lunar soil.
- NASA and other agencies plan follow-up imaging with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and partner spacecraft to map the new crater and use the event to refine tracking and impact models.
- Researchers and officials warn the crash highlights gaps in long-term orbit prediction and end-of-life disposal and could prompt tighter policies to protect scientific and heritage sites as lunar activity grows.