A SpaceX rocket smashed into the Moon — NASA just revealed the crater
A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 stage crashed into the Moon on Aug. 5, leaving behind a newly formed crater about 60 feet wide. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured detailed images showing bright and dark streaks of debris blasted across the surrounding surface. The impact even exposed fresh material buried beneath the Moon’s weathered exterior.
On August 11-12, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images of a newly formed crater on the Moon, resulting from a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage collision on August 5. This required precise LRO maneuvering, with the spacecraft flying about 60 miles above the lunar surface at a speed of 1 mile per second. Due to the Moon's rotation, LRO waited for six days to photograph the impact site.
Crucial timing was essential; a 10-second delay could place the target 10 miles away from the center of the image. Scientists studied the crater from various angles and lighting conditions, revealing a 60-foot-wide rim and a shadow indicating a depth of less than 10 feet. The Narrow Angle Camera on LRO detected features as small as 3 feet across, revealing bright and dark rays extending outward and both weathered and fresh material.
Coordinated efforts between professional researchers and amateur observers worldwide helped locate the crater. Independent astronomers initially determined the rocket's trajectory, while NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies used the event to test impact prediction methods. The Danuri team later confirmed the crater's location using the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter's high-resolution LUTI camera, finding NASA's prediction to be accurate within 0.6 miles.
The crater's coordinates were finally established at 19.4759°N, 266.7138°E, at an elevation of 511 meters.
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