Falcon 9 Debris Predicted to Impact Moon Near Einstein Crater This August
An independent astronomer predicts a 45-foot upper stage from SpaceX’s January 2025 Falcon 9 mission (object 2025-010D) will crash into the Moon on August 5, 2026, near the Einstein crater on the Moon’s western limb at about 5,400 mph. The impact won’t be visible from Earth, but scientists may study the resulting crater with lunar orbiters like the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The object has been in a long looping Earth orbit, with solar radiation pressure complicating precise plotting. This would be one of several artificial impacts on the Moon’s surface dating back to the Apollo era.
