SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage to impact Moon near Einstein crater on Aug 5

A 4.9‑ton upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket, launched in January 2025, will strike the Moon near the visible‑edge Einstein crater on 5 August 2026 at 06:34 UTC (03:34 BRT). The impact speed is about 8,700 km/h (2.4 km/s) and will release roughly 11 gigajoules of energy, creating a new crater around 17 metres wide.

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea’s Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter will photograph the site before and after the collision. Amateur astronomers, supported by software from Bill Gray, also expect to record a brief flash and a possible plume of ejecta that could be visible against the dark sky from the Americas. The event poses no risk to any human missions and offers a rare opportunity to study artificial debris impacts on a lunar surface.

Scientists aim to use the observations to improve understanding of space‑debris hazards and to refine techniques for future lunar monitoring.