Lunar Slam: SpaceX Upper Stage to Crash Into the Moon, Possibly Visible to Telescopes

A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is slated to crash into the Moon on Aug. 5 near Einstein and Bell craters, from a 2025 mission that also carried other lunar hardware. New simulations suggest the impact will eject a plume rising tens of kilometers and could briefly be visible from Earth with sensitive telescopes, though actual conditions may vary. NASA’s LRO will monitor the site around the event, enabling post-impact observations; the collision offers a rare chance to study artificial ejecta, calibrate impact models, and test localization methods for future lunar seismic experiments and debris-hazard assessments.