SpaceX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Set to Impact Moon on August 5, 2026
A discarded upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is projected to collide with the Moon on August 5, 2026, according to astronomer Bill Gray.
An upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched in January 2025, is projected to collide with the Moon on August 5, 2026. The 45-foot-tall stage has been orbiting the Earth-Moon system since delivering two lunar landers: Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost, which successfully landed in March 2025, and ispace's Hakuto-R, which crash-landed in June 2025.
Astronomer Bill Gray, developer of the Project Pluto software, predicts the impact will occur near the Einstein crater on the Moon's near side at approximately 2:44 a.m. EDT. The object is expected to strike the lunar surface at a speed of about 5,400 mph.
Gray noted that while the collision poses no danger to existing lunar missions, it underscores concerns about the disposal of space debris. He stated, "It doesn't present any danger to anyone, though it does highlight a certain carelessness about how leftover space hardware (space junk) is disposed of."
The impact is unlikely to be visible from Earth due to its faintness. However, it may offer minor scientific interest if a new crater is formed and can be studied in future lunar observations.