NASA is preparing for the emergence of a new crater on the Moon after a piece of SpaceX rocket debris collided with its surface. The debris had been in orbit since January 2025, following the launch of two commercial lunar landers: the American Blue Ghost from Firefly Aerospace and the Japanese ispace vehicle.
According to NASA’s projections, the impact is expected to create a crater approximately 18 meters wide and 4 meters deep, while also generating a cloud of lunar dust and fragments. Fortunately, the collision poses no threat to Earth.
As of now, astronomers have not confirmed the impact due to the site being located near the edge of the Moon’s visible side. It is anticipated that lunar missions from the United States and South Korea will photograph the area, although it may take several days to receive those images.
Nasa indicated that data from the collision will enhance understanding of the effects of artificial impacts on the Moon’s surface and improve tracking methods for space objects.
SpaceX explained that the second stage of the rocket could not be controlled for re-entry after launch. A combination of solar activity and gravitational forces gradually altered its trajectory, ultimately directing the debris towards the Moon.
The Guardian notes that typically, rocket stages burn up in Earth’s atmosphere or fall into the ocean after delivering payloads to orbit. However, missions to the Moon require greater thrust, which is why the Falcon 9’s second stage remained in space. The report also recalls that a Chinese rocket stage collided with the Moon in 2022, and in 2009 NASA intentionally directed a rocket stage there for a scientific experiment.
