SPACE & SCIENCE — NASA has revealed new images showing the crater created when a discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage slammed into the Moon earlier this month, giving scientists their clearest look yet at the impact.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed the site after the rocket's upper stage struck the lunar surface at roughly 5,400 mph (8,700 km/h) on August 5, 2026.
Scientists examining the new NASA images estimate that the impact crater is about 60 feet (18 metres) wide and less than 10 feet (3 metres) deep. 0
A SpaceX Rocket Left a New Mark on the Moon
The object that hit the Moon was the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The rocket had launched two private lunar missions in January 2025 before its upper stage remained in space. More than a year later, its trajectory eventually brought it into an unplanned collision with the Moon.
The impact occurred on the lunar far side near the Einstein and Bell craters.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Found the Crater
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been studying the Moon since 2009.
After the collision, flight controllers adjusted the spacecraft's position so its camera could observe the impact location.
The spacecraft photographed the area from approximately 60 miles (96 kilometres) above the lunar surface while travelling at around one mile per second.
The new images provide scientists with detailed before-and-after evidence of the impact. 1
The Crater Is Smaller Than Early Estimates
Before the collision, scientists estimated that the rocket could create a crater roughly 90 feet across and 16 feet deep.
Those early predictions were based on models of the rocket's mass, speed and the properties of the lunar surface.
The first detailed NASA images now suggest a crater closer to 60 feet across and less than 10 feet deep. 2
This difference demonstrates why direct observations are valuable when studying impacts on the Moon.
The Impact Created Bright and Dark Streaks
The NASA photographs show material spreading outward from the crater.
Some of the streaks appear darker, while other areas are considerably brighter than the surrounding lunar surface.
The darker material represents older surface material that has been altered by solar radiation, cosmic rays and constant bombardment from tiny space rocks.
The brighter material came from deeper beneath the surface and was exposed when the rocket struck.
The Rocket Was Travelling Extremely Fast
The Falcon 9 upper stage hit the Moon at approximately 5,400 mph, or 8,700 km/h.
Although the rocket was no longer operating, its enormous speed meant that the collision released a significant amount of energy.
The impact excavated lunar soil and rock and sent material outward across the surrounding surface.
This Was Not a Planned SpaceX Experiment
The collision was accidental.
The rocket stage had completed its original mission and was left travelling through space after deploying its payload.
Because lunar missions require different trajectories from conventional Earth-orbit missions, some rocket stages can remain in space rather than naturally falling back into Earth's atmosphere.
In this case, gravitational and solar forces eventually placed the rocket on a trajectory that intersected with the Moon. 3
Why Scientists Are Interested in the Crash
An accidental spacecraft impact provides scientists with an unusual opportunity.
Unlike a natural asteroid impact, researchers knew approximately when the SpaceX rocket would hit and could study the object before the collision.
They can now compare predictions with the actual crater and debris pattern.
This could improve scientists' understanding of how artificial objects interact with the lunar surface.
South Korea Also Observed the Site
NASA was not the only space agency monitoring the aftermath.
South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter was the first spacecraft to photograph the impact area after the collision.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter later provided more detailed observations.
The combination of observations from different spacecraft gives scientists additional information about the new crater.
The Moon Is Already Covered With Human-Made Objects
The SpaceX impact has also renewed discussion about the growing amount of human-made material on the Moon.
Decades of lunar exploration have left spacecraft, scientific equipment, rocket stages and other objects on or around the lunar surface.
As more governments and private companies prepare missions to the Moon, managing lunar debris could become an increasingly important issue.
A Growing Lunar Traffic Problem
The Moon is becoming a much busier destination.
NASA, China, India, Japan, South Korea and private companies are all developing or operating lunar missions.
Future missions will require careful planning to prevent spacecraft from interfering with one another or leaving unnecessary hazards behind.
The SpaceX impact demonstrates that objects that appear insignificant after completing their missions can remain in space and eventually create problems.
What the Impact Teaches About Space Junk
Space debris is no longer only an Earth-orbit problem.
As lunar exploration increases, scientists and policymakers will need to consider what happens to spacecraft after their missions end.
Future missions may need clearer rules for disposing of spent rocket stages and other equipment.
That could become particularly important as countries prepare for long-term lunar operations.
The Moon Was Not Seriously Damaged
Despite the dramatic description of a "hole" in the Moon, the crater is tiny compared with the size of the lunar surface.
The Moon is approximately 3,475 kilometres in diameter, making an 18-metre crater extremely small on a planetary scale.
The impact did not threaten the Moon's structure or cause any significant change to the lunar body.
It simply created another small impact crater on a surface that has been struck by countless natural objects over billions of years.
What Happens Next?
Scientists will continue analysing the NASA images and other observations of the site.
The data could help researchers understand the energy released during the collision, how lunar soil behaves during an artificial impact and how far debris can travel.
Those findings could become useful for future lunar missions.
Our Perspective
The crater itself is not the biggest story.
The more important issue is what happens as human activity around the Moon increases.
A spacecraft accidentally crashing into the lunar surface may seem harmless today, but future lunar bases, scientific stations and commercial operations could make uncontrolled impacts much more consequential.
The SpaceX crater is therefore a small physical mark with a much bigger lesson: as humanity moves toward a permanent presence on the Moon, lunar traffic and space debris will need to be managed far more carefully.
Conclusion
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured detailed images of the crater left by a discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage after it struck the Moon on August 5.
Scientists estimate that the crater is approximately 60 feet (18 metres) wide and less than 10 feet (3 metres) deep.
The accidental impact has provided scientists with a rare opportunity to study how a known human-made object affects the lunar surface.
As lunar exploration accelerates, the incident also highlights the need for responsible management of spacecraft and debris beyond Earth.
Daily Touch Insights Editorial Team
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