SpaceX rocket stage crashes into Moon, creating new crater
Images from orbiting satellites are expected to reveal the impact site in the coming days.
Talivio News · Global1 min read
Aa
T
A part of a SpaceX rocket has crashed into the Moon, forming a new crater. The object that hit the lunar surface was a spent upper stage of a rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX.
The impact occurred in the rugged area located between the Einstein and Bell craters, on the western edge of the visible Moon. Amateur and professional astronomers directed telescopes toward the impact site, but no obvious signs of the collision were found.
3.9 tons
Weight of the SpaceX rocket stage that hit the Moon
The rocket stage was 12 meters long and arrived at a speed of 8,700 kilometers per hour.
Satellite imagery and disposal regulations
Images from orbiting satellites regarding the SpaceX Moon crash are expected to arrive in the coming hours or days. SpaceX stated that they followed the applicable rules during the disposal of the rocket stage.
In 2023, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed five permissible ways to dispose of spent upper stages. This incident occurs within a broader context of space debris management, as the European Space Agency (ESA) counts over 54,000 pieces of debris larger than ten centimeters and estimates more than 140 million pieces smaller than one centimeter.
Updates
Chile's Very Large Telescope has documented the impact, revealing that the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage generated a debris cloud and emitted lithium and sodium several kilometers into space for five to ten minutes. SpaceX attributed the unplanned crash to solar activity and gravitational forces after the stage failed to burn up in Earth's atmosphere. Additionally, the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is expected to provide specific images of the crater next week.
Boston University's Carl Schmidt claims the Very Large Telescope in Chile documented that the twelve-meter-long upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 impacted the Moon, generating a debris cloud. This unplanned impact, which SpaceX attributed to solar activity and gravitational forces, caused lithium and sodium emissions to travel several kilometers into space for five to ten minutes. While orbiting satellite images are expected, the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to fly over the impact site next week.
Chile's Very Large Telescope has documented the impact's consequences, including the formation of a debris cloud and lithium and sodium emissions that reached several kilometers into space for five to ten minutes. SpaceX confirmed the unplanned crash of its twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage was caused by a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces. Although the stage did not burn up in Earth's atmosphere, it went off course during its trajectory.
Chile's Very Large Telescope has detected spectral lines from the impact, confirming that the collision released a debris cloud of lithium and sodium that glowed for several minutes. SpaceX confirmed the incident was unintentional, attributing the Falcon 9 upper stage's unplanned trajectory to a mixture of solar activity and gravity. Additionally, while the upper stage impacted the Moon, the rocket's booster successfully landed back on Earth.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile detected spectral lines from the impact, observing a debris cloud and the emission of lithium and sodium into space. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman admitted the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage drifted off course due to a mixture of solar activity and gravity, noting that while the stage hit the Moon, its booster successfully landed back on Earth. Additionally, both NASA and the South Korean space agency have announced plans to use their probes to photograph the impact site.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has confirmed that the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile detected spectral lines from the impact, observing a debris cloud that released lithium and sodium emissions for several minutes. SpaceX revealed the event was unintended, stating the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage drifted off course due to a combination of solar activity and gravity. While the upper stage struck the Moon, the rocket's booster successfully landed back on Earth.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope has detected spectral lines from the impact, revealing a debris cloud containing sodium and lithium emissions. SpaceX confirmed the unplanned collision was caused by a mix of solar activity and gravity, noting that the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage drifted for eighteen months after its January 2025 launch. While the upper stage hit the Moon, the rocket's booster successfully landed back on Earth.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that its Very Large Telescope in Chile detected spectral lines from the impact, identifying a debris cloud containing lithium and sodium. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman stated the unplanned impact was caused by a mixture of solar activity and gravity, noting that while the Falcon 9 upper stage drifted toward the Moon, its booster successfully landed on Earth. Additionally, both NASA and the South Korean space agency have announced plans to use their probes to photograph the impact site.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has confirmed that the Very Large Telescope in Chile detected spectral lines from the impact, identifying chemical fingerprints of sodium and lithium gas within the resulting debris cloud. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman admitted the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage went off course due to solar activity and gravity, following a period of drifting in a moon-crossing orbit for a year and a half. While the upper stage struck the Moon, the rocket's booster successfully landed back on Earth.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that its Very Large Telescope in Chile detected spectral lines from the impact, identifying a debris cloud containing sodium and lithium gas. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman admitted the unplanned impact was caused by a mixture of solar activity and gravity, noting that while the Falcon 9 upper stage drifted toward the Moon, its booster successfully landed on Earth. Additionally, both NASA and the South Korean space agency have announced plans to use their probes to photograph the impact site, though official image transmission could take several days.
The European Southern Observatory confirmed that its Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines and chemical fingerprints of sodium and lithium gases in the impact plume. This debris cloud, which measured a few tens of kilometers in size, was observed for five to ten minutes following the collision. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman attributed the unintended Moon impact to a combination of solar activity and gravity, noting that while the upper stage drifted off course, the booster successfully landed back on Earth.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that its Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines suggesting a debris cloud of sodium and lithium was released during the impact. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman clarified that the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage went off course due to a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces, though the rocket's booster successfully landed back on Earth. Additionally, the South Korean space agency has joined NASA in planning to capture images of the impact site using space probes.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that the Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines in the impact plume, identifying chemical fingerprints of lithium and sodium gas that glowed for five to ten minutes. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman admitted the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage went off course due to a mixture of solar activity and gravity, following its drift in a moon-crossing orbit for a year and a half. While the upper stage hit the Moon, its booster successfully landed back on Earth, and both NASA and the South Korean space agency plan to provide photographic confirmation of the site.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that its Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines from the impact, identifying a plume of sodium and lithium gas that lasted for five to ten minutes. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman admitted the unplanned impact was caused by a mixture of solar activity and gravity, clarifying that while the Falcon 9 upper stage drifted off course toward the Moon, its booster successfully landed on Earth. Additionally, NASA and the South Korean space agency have announced plans to capture images of the impact site using their respective probes.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile has confirmed detecting spectral lines from the impact using its Very Large Telescope, which recorded chemical fingerprints of lithium and sodium in a gas plume for five to ten minutes. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman admitted the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage went off course due to a combination of solar activity and gravity, noting that while this stage hit the Moon, its booster successfully landed on Earth. Additionally, NASA and the South Korean space agency plan to use their probes to capture images of the impact site, though official confirmation from these sources is still pending.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that its Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines from the impact, identifying the chemical fingerprints of sodium and lithium in the resulting debris cloud. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman admitted the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage went off course due to a mixture of solar activity and gravity, noting that while the stage hit the Moon, its booster successfully landed on Earth. Additionally, both NASA and the South Korean space agency have announced plans to use their probes to photograph the impact site.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that its Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines from the impact, revealing a gas cloud containing sodium and lithium that lasted for five to ten minutes. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman clarified that the unplanned impact was caused by a mixture of solar activity and gravity, noting that while the upper stage hit the Moon, the booster successfully landed on Earth. Additionally, the South Korean space agency and NASA are expected to provide photographic confirmation of the site using their respective lunar probes.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has confirmed that its Very Large Telescope in Chile detected spectral lines from the impact, specifically identifying chemical fingerprints of sodium and lithium gas in the resulting debris cloud. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman clarified that the twelve-meter-long Falcon 9 upper stage went off course due to a mixture of solar activity and gravity, rather than a planned maneuver. While official images are still pending, South Korean and NASA probes are expected to provide visual confirmation of the impact site in the coming days.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed that its Very Large Telescope detected the impact's consequences through spectral lines in the resulting plume, identifying chemical fingerprints of sodium and lithium. SpaceX Director Julianna Scheiman clarified that the Falcon 9 upper stage drifted off course due to a combination of solar activity and gravity, making the Moon impact unintentional. While the upper stage struck the lunar surface, its booster successfully landed back on Earth.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has confirmed that its Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines from the impact, identifying a debris plume containing lithium and sodium emissions. SpaceX officials stated the unplanned collision of the Falcon 9 upper stage resulted from orbital drift caused by a combination of solar activity and gravity. While the impact occurred near the Moon's Einstein crater, NASA and South Korean space agencies are preparing to capture official images of the site.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in a transient plume from the impact, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself—confirming the first chemical signature of a human-made object striking the Moon, while NASA and South Korea’s Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter are expected to provide crater imagery within days.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in a plume from the impact, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself, confirming the first direct chemical analysis of such an event; NASA estimates the crater is 18 meters wide and 3.5 meters deep, and the impact occurred near Einstein crater at 02:35 UTC on August 5, 2026, as predicted.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in a plume generated by the SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage impact on the Moon, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket itself—confirming the first direct chemical analysis of such an event; NASA and South Korea’s KARI now plan to image the crater near Einstein crater, with NASA estimating it to be 18 meters wide and 3.5 meters deep, while the impact occurred at 02:35 UTC on August 5, 2026, after 18 months of uncontrolled drift in a moon-crossing orbit.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in a plume generated by the SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage impact on the Moon, with sodium likely from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket itself—confirming the first direct chemical analysis of such an event, while NASA and South Korea's KARI are expected to release crater images soon; the impact, occurring at 02:35 UTC on August 5, 2026 near Einstein crater, was uncontrolled and attributed by SpaceX to solar activity and gravitational forces, not intentional.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in a plume generated by the SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage impact, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket itself—observations confirmed by ESO and corroborated by astronomer Carl Schmidt, while NASA and South Korea’s KARI plan to image the crater near Einstein crater in the coming days, with NASA estimating its size at 18 meters wide and 3.5 meters deep.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile detected spectral signatures of sodium and lithium in a 10-kilometer-high impact plume, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself — a finding confirmed by ESO and astronomer Carl Schmidt, while NASA and South Korea’s KARI are now preparing to image the crater near Einstein crater, with official confirmation pending transmission of probe data.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in a 10-kilometer-high plume from the impact, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself — a finding confirmed by ESO and astronomer Carl Schmidt, while NASA and South Korea’s KARI plan to image the crater near Einstein crater in the coming days, with NASA estimating its size at 18 meters wide and 3.5 meters deep.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed via its Very Large Telescope that the impact plume contained detectable spectral lines of sodium and lithium gas, visible for five to ten minutes; sodium likely originated from lunar soil, while lithium traces were traced to the rocket stage itself — a finding not previously disclosed, and corroborated by Boston University’s Carl Schmidt despite calling the analysis 'crude.'
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed via its Very Large Telescope that the impact plume contained detectable spectral lines of sodium and lithium gas, visible for five to ten minutes, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself — a first direct chemical identification of debris from an artificial lunar impact, while NASA and South Korea’s KARI are preparing to image the crater, with ESO noting the event occurred exactly as predicted near the Einstein crater.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed via its Very Large Telescope that the impact plume contained detectable spectral lines of sodium and lithium, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium traces from the rocket stage itself—a chemical signature observed for five to ten minutes after impact, and the plume reached approximately 10 km in height, smaller than some simulations predicted.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed via its Very Large Telescope that the impact plume contained detectable spectral lines of sodium and lithium, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself — a finding not previously reported, and which was observed for five to ten minutes after impact near the Einstein crater.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed it detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in the impact plume using the VLT’s UVES instrument, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself—marking the first chemical analysis of such an artificial lunar impact; NASA and South Korea’s KARI plan to image the crater soon, while ESO and Boston University’s Carl Schmidt verified the impact occurred exactly as predicted near the Einstein crater, with the plume lasting five to ten minutes and reaching 10 km in height.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed via its Very Large Telescope that the impact plume contained detectable spectral lines of sodium and lithium, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium traces from the rocket stage itself—a finding corroborated by Boston University’s Carl Schmidt, who stated the observations showed '100 percent' the consequences of the impact; NASA and South Korea’s KARI plan to image the crater in the coming days, while ESO’s data also revealed the plume reached 10 km in height and lasted five to ten minutes, narrower than some simulations predicted.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed it detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in the impact plume using its Very Large Telescope, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself—data that was not previously disclosed; additionally, South Korea’s KARI released before-and-after images of the impact site near Einstein crater, while NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is now scheduled to image the crater in the coming days, with initial estimates suggesting a 18-meter-wide crater, not the previously predicted 27 meters.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed it detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in the impact plume using the Very Large Telescope’s UVES instrument, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself—a finding corroborated by Boston University’s Carl Schmidt, who stated the observations showed '100 percent' the impact’s consequences; NASA and South Korea’s KARI plan to image the crater soon, while ESO noted the impact occurred exactly as predicted near the Einstein crater, producing a 10-km-high plume visible for five to ten minutes.
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium in the impact plume, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself—confirming the chemical signature of the collision, while South Korea’s KARI released the first before-and-after images of the impact site near Einstein crater, and NASA now estimates the crater is 18 meters wide and 3.5 meters deep, revising earlier predictions of up to 27 meters.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed via its Very Large Telescope that the impact plume contained detectable spectral lines of sodium and lithium, with sodium likely originating from lunar soil and lithium from the rocket stage itself—observations that lasted five to ten minutes and were the first direct chemical identification of an artificial object’s lunar impact; South Korea’s KARI also released preliminary before-and-after images of the impact site near Einstein crater, while NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is still expected to provide high-resolution crater imagery in the coming days.
The South Korean Danuri orbiter has now captured and released before-and-after images of the impact site near Einstein crater, confirming the presence of a newly formed crater, while NASA’s earlier estimate of an 18-meter-wide crater was revised to approximately 27 meters wide based on these new observations.
The South Korean Danuri orbiter has now released images showing the newly formed crater from the SpaceX rocket stage impact near the Einstein crater, confirming a crater approximately 27 meters wide—revising NASA’s earlier estimate of 18 meters—and the European Southern Observatory’s VLT detected lithium and sodium emissions in the plume, with lithium likely originating from the rocket stage itself, while sodium came from lunar soil.
