Korean lunar orbiter snaps first pics of the SpaceX Falcon 9 crash site on the moon
NASA believes the crater left by the rocket is around 60 feet wide.
The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) has announced that the Danuri lunar orbiter successfully captured images of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's crash site on the moon's surface. The impact occurred on August 5, 2026, when the four-ton rocket crashed at a speed of 5,400 miles per hour. NASA estimates the resulting crater to be approximately 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep.
Although meteoroid collisions with the moon are common, impacts from human-made objects are rare. The Falcon 9 rocket had been in orbit since January 2025, delivering two lunar landers on the Blue Ghost mission. SpaceX's reusable booster returned to Earth after the mission, but the second stage remained in space for the lunar transfer orbit.
KASA's images provide valuable insights into the moon's geology and the behavior of ejecta plumes, aiding future space missions.
Written by urgent.news from Engadget's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
