A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster, launched in January 2025, is set to collide with the moon at approximately 2:35 a.m. ET on Wednesday, according to NASA and SpaceX officials. The 8,800-pound booster, which has been orbiting the moon since January, will strike the lunar surface at 5,400 mph, creating a crater roughly 90 feet in diameter.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will capture before-and-after images of the impact site, though NASA noted it may take up to two weeks for the photos to be processed and released. The collision is not expected to be visible from Earth due to the timing and location of the impact on the moon’s lit side.
SpaceX and NASA officials stated the booster’s trajectory was influenced by a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces, rather than an error in disposal procedures. Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX’s director of NASA Science and Dragon Programs, confirmed the company followed “appropriate rules and regulations” for the rocket’s disposal after its January 2025 launch, which deployed two lunar landers—Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 (successful) and Japan’s ispace Hakuto-R Mission 2 (unsuccessful).
What to Expect from the Impact
The high-speed collision will send a plume of lunar dust and debris up to 50 kilometers into the air, according to astronomers. While the impact itself will not be visible to the naked eye, advanced telescopes and orbital probes—including NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea’s Danuri probe—will monitor the event. Scientists anticipate the crash will expose subsurface material, providing new data on the moon’s composition.
Dr. Matt Bothwell, a public astronomer at the University of Cambridge, described the event as “something really huge smashing into the Moon”, emphasizing its educational value. He noted that the lack of atmosphere on the moon means the impact will be more dramatic than similar events on Earth, with debris spreading rapidly.
Scientific and Operational Implications
The collision presents a unique opportunity for lunar research, as it will allow scientists to study the mechanics of high-velocity impacts on the moon’s surface. Researchers plan to analyze the size and distribution of the resulting crater, as well as the composition of ejected material. This data could inform future lunar missions, including NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon by 2028.
SpaceX and NASA are collaborating to mitigate risks of future lunar collisions, particularly as space agencies and private companies increase activity around the moon. Scheiman highlighted the need for better disposal strategies for high-energy missions in the Earth-moon system, stating, “What is the best future disposal path for high-energy missions?”
Background: The Rocket’s Journey
The Falcon 9 booster was part of a mission launched on January 15, 2025, to deploy two lunar landers. While Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost-1 successfully landed, Japan’s ispace Hakuto-R Mission 2 crashed into the lunar surface. The booster, initially intended for disposal in a controlled manner, entered an unstable orbit due to unpredictable gravitational and solar influences.
This is not the first instance of a human-made object colliding with the moon. In 2009, NASA intentionally crashed the LCROSS spacecraft into the lunar south pole to study lunar composition. However, this event marks one of the largest uncontrolled collisions in recent history.
What Happens Next?
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will begin capturing images of the impact site within days, though the full analysis may take weeks. The event underscores the growing challenges of space debris management as lunar exploration intensifies. Both SpaceX and NASA have reiterated their commitment to responsible space operations, though the uncontrolled nature of this collision highlights the need for improved tracking and disposal protocols for deep-space missions.