SpaceX upper stage set for Moon impact, NASA observers plan to watch

A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage carrying two lunar landers is on a collision course with the Moon, expected to strike near Einstein Crater around 2:35 a.m. ET. NASA and independent astronomers confirm the trajectory; there is no danger to Earth. The impact should create a crater about 65–90 feet (20–30 meters) in diameter and may be visible only through telescopes, with the Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter and NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter aiming to image the site afterward. Scientists hope to gain insights into the lunar surface and debris behavior, informing future Artemis-era missions and lunar-debris mitigation strategies.