Discarded SpaceX rocket debris is set to crash into the Moon at 8,700 km/h

A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is predicted to slam into the Moon near the Einstein crater on the near side.

The impact is estimated to release energy equivalent to about 3 tons of TNT, but the flash will likely be too faint to see from Earth.

A dust and debris cloud may still be observable with telescopes, and missions including NASA’s LRO and Korea’s Danuri are expected to watch it.

The event highlights the growing problem of space junk and the need for stronger orbital tracking and debris management.

The resulting crater and ejecta could provide useful data on lunar surface change, impact physics, and future lunar exploration safety.