Uncontrolled SpaceX Rocket to Crash into Moon: Scientists Expect Crater Formation

The upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that SpaceX used to launch two private moon missions in 2025 is now headed towards the moon in an uncontrolled manner. According to experts' calculations, this rocket part is expected to crash into the moon's bright side on August 6 and form a crater approximately 27 meters in diameter and 5 meters deep. Scientists predict that this collision will release energy equivalent to about 3 tons of TNT. While the light flash from the collision will be difficult to see from Earth, the dust and rock debris ejected into space can be observed with telescopes for tens of minutes. This observation will not only help better understand the moon's surface but also assess the risk of space debris for future astronauts on the moon. Space tracking experts emphasize that this event does not pose a direct threat but highlights the growing issue of space debris around the Earth and the moon. Experts suggest that the rocket's upper stage could have been directed into a solar orbit after its mission. Instead, its uncontrolled approach to the moon underscores the need for more effective management of space traffic for future lunar bases. This incident will be the second known unintentional moon impact, following a Chinese rocket part that crashed into the moon's far side in 2022.