SpaceX's wandering Falcon 9 rocket has crashed into the moon

On August 5, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket appears to have crashed into the lunar surface, according to predictions made by independent astronomer Bill Grey in April. Scientists believe the crash has already occurred, as indicated by a plume of sodium and lithium gas observed by the Very Large Telescope in Chile. The plume, about 10 kilometers wide and lasting five to 10 minutes, was difficult to observe as it took place on the sunlit side of the moon, where the brightness made it challenging to spot.

NASA believes the collision created a crater roughly 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, specifically its upper stage, originated from the Blue Ghost mission on January 15, 2025, which aimed to send two lunar landers into orbit. Spacecraft operators typically plan for a controlled deorbit of the Falcon second stage to safely reenter the Earth's atmosphere, but for high-energy missions like those to a lunar transfer orbit, a controlled disposal may not always be feasible.

In this case, the rocket used most of its fuel to reach its destination and couldn't return to Earth. While the event raised concerns about space debris, NASA stated that disposing of upper stages on the lunar surface is a technically accepted and safe method, and in some cases, the only practical option for missions in low lunar orbit.