SpaceX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Expected To Crash Into Moon Wednesday
SpaceX's Falcon 9 second stage is expected to strike the Moon at about 1:35 a.m. Central on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, creating a small crater and a scientific opportunity.[1]
The 8,800-pound stage will hit at roughly 5,400 mph, releasing energy equivalent to about 2.8 tons of TNT and likely carving a crater roughly 65 to 100 feet wide and about 16 feet deep.[1] NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will capture before-and-after images, and scientists plan to analyze any dust or vapor plume for clues about subsurface water ice.[1]
On Jan. 15, 2025, the stage supported a lunar mission and SpaceX said it was properly disposed of, but solar radiation and gravitational forces later nudged it onto an impact trajectory.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- The SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage is expected to impact the Moon at about 2:35 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
- The 8,800-pound stage will hit at roughly 5,400 mph, producing energy equivalent to about 2.8 tons of TNT and a crater 65-100 feet wide and around 16 feet deep.
- NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will capture before-and-after images, and scientists plan to study any dust and vapor plume for clues about subsurface water ice.
- SpaceX says the stage was properly disposed of after its January 15, 2025 lunar mission and later drifted onto a lunar-impact trajectory due to solar and gravitational forces.
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