Weltraum-Schrott: Schlägt Teil von SpaceX-Rakete ungeplant auf dem Mond ein?

After nearly a year since its launch, a fragment of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the private space company might have hit the Moon unexpectedly, according to scientists. The impact was calculated for 8:35 AM MESZ on Wednesday, according to US astronomer Bill Gray and NASA. This concern pertains to the upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that carried two landers, "Blue Ghost" from Firefly Aerospace and "Resilience" from Japan's ispace, to the Moon in January 2025.

Whether the impact would be visible from Earth remains uncertain, with NASA's manager William Cooke stating, "I think it will be very, very difficult to see, if not impossible." Astronomer Gray commented to the "New York Times" that "the object hits a point where there's at least some hope we might be able to observe it." It remains unclear when and how a confirmed impact could be determined.

If a live observation isn't feasible, determining the impact might take hours or even days, as this would require sending photographs of a possible crater back to Earth using probes. In a few days, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is expected to fly over the expected impact site. The Falcon 9 rocket was launched with the landers "Blue Ghost" and "Resilience" on January 15, 2025.

"Blue Ghost" successfully landed on the Moon two months later, while "Resilience" experienced a failed landing shortly after. The lower stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth. SpaceX explained that the upper rocket stages typically burn up in Earth's atmosphere during such missions, but for high-energy missions like this, a different maneuver was required to ensure the upper stage is safe and compliant with regulations.

This particular outcome was a result of a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces, which propelled it toward the Moon. Although unexpected, an impact on the Moon for disposal is considered a recognized option that offers a predictable, trackable, and safer approach to the end of a mission, according to NASA. There is no threat to Earth from this event.

Scientifically, the whereabouts of the rocket stage and the impact site will continue to be monitored.