An Out of Control SpaceX Rocket Is Going to Smash Into the Moon, Astronomer Says

A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is expected to hit the Moon on August 5 near Einstein crater.

Astronomer Bill Gray says the impact is highly predictable, with only minor uncertainty from sunlight’s effect on the object’s path.

The stage was left over from a January 2025 lunar mission launch and has been tracked extensively.

The event is a small scientific milestone, but it also underscores the growing risk of orbital debris for future Moon missions.