On August 5, 2026, an out-of-control upper stage from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket collided with the lunar surface. The incident occurred after the stage, which had been left in space following a January 2025 launch that delivered lunar landers, drifted on an elliptical orbit. Over time, gravitational forces and solar pressure altered its trajectory, eventually leading to the impact. The collision, estimated to have occurred at around 8,700 km/h, left a visible crater (approximately 18 meters in diameter) and was captured by images from the Korean satellite Danuri. While NASA emphasized the event posed no threat to Earth, scientists viewed it as an opportunity to study impact phenomena and better understand potential risks to future lunar habitats. The incident also highlighted the growing issue of space debris.
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