SpaceX Rocket: A section of a SpaceX rocket that has been drifting in space for the last year is scheduled to collide with the Moon on Wednesday, August 5. This fragment, roughly the size of a school bus and weighing around 4,000 kilograms, is the second stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched a lunar lander to the Moon in January 2025. The collision is expected to happen at 12:05 pm Indian time on Wednesday. The impact will generate a cloud of lunar dust that will shimmer in sunlight, although it may be challenging to see with the naked eye.
More than a year after the launch of two lunar landers, a SpaceX rocket is on the verge of crashing into the Moon. The upper section of the rocket will unintentionally strike the Moon, forming a crater and sending a plume of dust soaring up to 100 kilometers high. Both scientists and many enthusiastic observers are keen to witness this event.
Visible from the US
Space tracking specialist Bill Gray predicts that the impact will occur at a speed of 5,400 mph (8,700 kph), which is seven times the speed of sound. The collision will take place near the Einstein Crater on the Moon’s sunlit western side. Since it will happen in the early morning, it will be best observed from the United States, eastern Canada, and South America.
Scientists express that they are not overly worried about this piece of space debris. However, they are concerned that this incident underscores the increasing congestion in orbit and the risks that come with it. Gray, who intends to observe the aftermath from New Brunswick, Canada, noted that the congestion in that area is escalating quickly. While this collision won’t pose any immediate issues, future incidents could become problematic as long-term lunar bases are established. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid leaving rocket parts in such erratic orbits, says Retired astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
Could the collision have happened?
According to the reports , SpaceX never intended to crash into the moon. Space experts say the collision could have been avoided if the rocket’s upper part had been pushed into orbit around the sun. This would be the second such failed rocket to accidentally hit the moon. In 2022, parts from a Chinese rocket created two craters on the far side of the moon.
The good news for astronomers is that the impact will occur on the side of the Moon facing Earth. It will release energy equivalent to three tons of TNT. The flash from the impact will last less than a second and will likely be too faint to be visible. The debris from the impact could spread across several kilometers of space and be visible with telescopes.