SpaceX rocket upper stage set to impact Moon, forming crater

A second‑stage booster from a SpaceX launch is scheduled to impact the Moon on Wednesday, creating a new lunar crater. The collision is accidental and poses no risk to Earth. Scientists say the debris will be left in orbit around the Moon until it eventually falls into the surface.

The upper stage was launched into a trajectory that, after a series of gravitational assists, intersected the Moon’s orbit. A combination of solar activity and the gravitational pull of the Earth and Moon nudged the booster off its intended path. The event was not planned; the stage was not designed for a lunar impact and will simply descend into the lunar surface under the Moon’s gravity.

While the impact will not affect life on Earth, it will add a fresh scar to the Moon’s landscape. The incident highlights the growing number of spacecraft fragments that may eventually collide with celestial bodies, underscoring the need for careful tracking of upper‑stage debris.