SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Expected to Crash into the Moon This August
Astronomers will be able to observe this artificial collision from Earth.
1Impact Date and Location
On August 5, 2025, around 2:35 AM ET, the upper stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to crash near the Einstein Crater on the Moon. This event will be observable from Earth using certain telescopes.
2The Discoverer
Bill Gray, the creator of the Project Pluto desktop planetarium program, was the first to determine that the rocket would hit the Moon. He input data into his program to predict the rocket's orbit and future path.
3Origin of the Rocket
The upper stage that will crash into the lunar surface comes from SpaceX's Firefly Blue Ghost mission, which launched on January 15, 2025. The mission carried Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander and the Japanese company ispace's Hakuto-R lunar lander.
4Condition of the Rocket
After deploying the landers into space, the rocket ran out of fuel and couldn't return to Earth. It has been drifting in space ever since. The upper stage is approximately 39 feet long and 13 feet wide, weighing around 4,000 kilograms.
5Impact's Effect
According to a paper written by Gray and his team, the upper stage won't have a significant impact on the Moon. This is because, although it's larger than most natural lunar impactors, it's a hollow shell and is moving 'much more slowly.'
6Observation Opportunity
This collision offers astronomers a chance to observe an artificial impact in real time. They can use this opportunity to study how dust and plumes move from impact events on the Moon and to investigate the hazards of artificial space debris impacts.
Original article: Engadget — SpaceX Falcon 9 Roketi Ağustos'ta Ay'a Çarpacak