Journalism of Courage
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket crashes into Moon after 18 months adrift
The 4,000-kg rocket slammed into the lunar surface at an estimated speed of 8,690 kmph, with an impact equivalent to an explosion of three tonnes of TNT (Trinitrotoluene).
The impact occurred on the Moon's sunlit side, making the collision difficult to observe directly from Earth. (Image: Nasa)
A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage has crashed into the Moon after drifting through space for more than 18 months, ending an unusual journey that scientists say offers a rare opportunity to study lunar impacts and the risks posed by abandoned spacecraft.
The 4,000-kg rocket slammed into the lunar surface at an estimated speed of 5,400 mph (8,690 kmph), with an impact equivalent to an explosion of three tonnes of Trinitrotoluene (TNT). Researchers expected the collision to create a crater measuring 20 to 30 metres wide, ejecting a plume of lunar dust high above the surface.
The impact was predicted to occur at around 7.35 am UK time (12.05 pm IST). Scientists had suggested a faint flash might be visible through powerful telescopes, but because the collision occurred on the Moon’s sunlit side, the explosion itself was expected to be too dim for most observers on Earth. However, astronomers noted that the stream of ejected material could remain visible to telescopes for a short period.
The Falcon 9 upper stage was launched in January 2025, carrying two private lunar landers: Blue Ghost and Resilience. While Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost successfully completed its lunar mission, Resilience crashed during its landing attempt.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches the Blue Ghost and Resilience lunar landers in January 2025. The mission’s upper stage later crashed into the Moon after exhausting its fuel. (Image: SpaceX)
Unlike the reusable first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, the upper stage is designed for a single use. Normally, SpaceX deorbits these rocket stages after completing their mission. However, in this case, the stage exhausted its fuel while sending the landers toward the Moon and was left in what researchers described as a moon-crossing high-Earth orbit, according to a study published on the arXiv repository.
Speaking at a recent press conference, Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX’s director of Nasa satellite missions, said the company performed an alternative disposal manoeuvre that complied with existing safety regulations.
“What has happened is, essentially, a mixture of solar activity and gravity forces has put it on a path towards the Moon,” Scheiman said.
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Although accidental, the impact has generated significant scientific interest. Researchers say the collision will help improve techniques for detecting lunar impact flashes, locating impact sites using seismic measurements, and understanding the hazards that space debris could pose to future lunar bases.
“The event provides an opportunity to test pipelines for measuring flash properties to locate impact events seismically and to better understand the multimodal hazards posed to future lunar infrastructure and astronauts from space debris impacting the Moon,” researchers led by Fernando wrote in their study.
The findings are particularly relevant as Nasa’s Artemis programme prepares to establish a long-term human presence near the Moon’s south pole. SpaceX says it is working with Nasa and other agencies to develop safer disposal strategies for future missions operating in the Earth-Moon system to reduce the risk of similar impacts.
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