Wayward SpaceX Stage on Course to Slam Moon at Mach 7
TL;DR
A Falcon 9 upper stage from SpaceX’s 2025 lunar mission remains in a highly elliptical Earth orbit and is predicted by independent analyst Bill Gray’s Project Pluto to collide with the Moon on August 5 at about Mach 7 (5,400 mph / 8,700 km/h). The impact would likely be on the Moon’s near side and would probably not be visible from Earth; the exact impact site is expected to tighten with more data, highlighting concerns about space junk disposal in the growing near‑Earth–Moon environment.
Topics:sciencespace-and-spaceflight#falcon-9#orbital-mechanics#space-and-spaceflight#space-junk#spacex#the-moon
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- A Falcon 9 rocket will hit the Moon this summer at seven times the speed of sound Ars Technica
- Used SpaceX rocket to crash into the moon's Einstein crater this summer, report predicts Live Science
- A SpaceX Rocket Is On A Collision Course With The Moon – Set To Hit It This Summer And Create A New Crater IFLScience
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