'No danger to Earth' - SpaceX rocket to crash into Moon

A SpaceX rocket component, the second stage of a Falcon 9 rocket, crashed into the Moon, causing a fleeting plume of lunar dust visible from Earth. The school-bus-sized object, weighing 4,000 kg, was launched in January 2025 to boost a lunar lander from Firefly Aerospace. The impact, occurring near the moon's terminator line, was detected by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, which observed spectral lines of sodium and lithium gas.

The sodium gas likely originated from the lunar soil, while the lithium traces came from the rocket stage itself. The impact did not pose any danger to Earth or the few spacecraft orbiting the Moon, but it highlights the issue of space junk management. The rocket component was not intended to hit the Moon, as it was left floating in space after a lunar lander mission required additional thrust.

Astronomers predict such impacts are rare but may offer some scientific insights. SpaceX and NASA are discussing measures to prevent future lunar impacts as the US space agency plans to build a lunar base and send routine astronaut missions to the lunar surface under the Artemis program.