Need a tow? SpaceX rocket taken to Christmas Island after splashdown
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured the most detailed images yet of the crater formed by a SpaceX rocket crashing into the moon, according to the space agency. The striking before-and-after photos were released on Tuesday, revealing new insights into the impact site. The company's Falcon rocket's upper stage slammed into the lunar surface at a staggering speed of 5,400 miles per hour (8,700 kilometers per hour) on August 5th.
This dramatic event came after the rocket had been orbiting the moon for over a year. Its mission was to deliver two private moon landers packed with scientific experiments and a tiny rover, all set to launch in 2025 as part of NASA's initiative to commercialize lunar exploration. The new images, taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, suggest the crater is approximately 60 feet (18 meters) wide and less than 10 feet (3 meters) deep.
The darker streaks visible in the photographs are believed to be excavated material that was close to the surface, which has been shaped by cosmic rays, micrometeorite strikes, and solar wind over time. In contrast, the brighter rays indicate fresh rocks and dirt that were ejected from deeper within the lunar crust. These striking images were taken just a week after the asteroid-like impact.
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