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First Images of the Crater Left on the Moon by SpaceX’s Rocket

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute shared the first photographs captured by its lunar orbiter, showing signs of a recent impact on the moon's surface caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage.

By Jorge Garay·Aug 8·wired.com·3 min read

Intelligence analysis by Llama

First Images of the Crater Left on the Moon by SpaceX’s Rocket
Image: wired.com

The images show a crater left by the Falcon 9 rocket stage, which was in an unstable orbit for over a year before impacting the lunar surface. The crater is larger than several cars combined and is visible in the photographs taken by the Danuri lunar satellite.

Why it matters

The impact of the Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon's surface highlights the risk of debris hitting the moon as the space race heats up, and it serves as a warning for future moon bases.

Imagine a big rock crashing into the moon's surface, leaving a big crater behind. That's what happened when a SpaceX rocket stage fell to the moon. The crater is really big, and it's visible in pictures taken by a satellite that was flying over the moon at the time.

Analysis

The SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Stage Impact on the Moon's Surface

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has shared the first photographs captured by its lunar orbiter, showing signs of a recent impact on the moon's surface caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage. The images were taken by the Danuri lunar satellite, which flew over the region shortly after the impact. The crater left by the Falcon 9 rocket stage is larger than several cars combined and is visible in the photographs.

The impact of the Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon's surface highlights the risk of debris hitting the moon as the space race heats up. This is a concern for future moon bases, as the impact of debris on the lunar surface could pose a significant threat to the safety of astronauts and equipment.

The crater is larger than several cars combined and is visible in the photographs taken by the Danuri lunar satellite. The images show signs of a recent impact, which astronomers projected would likely create a crater dozens of feet wide and nearly 12 feet deep. This evidence of the collision adds to observations from the Very Large Telescope, where astronomers detected sodium and lithium rising from the lunar surface, confirming that the rocket fragment did indeed strike the moon.

The Falcon 9 rocket stage was in an unstable orbit for over a year before impacting the lunar surface. The gravity of Earth, the moon, and the sun slowly altered its orbital trajectory until it eventually impacted the lunar surface. SpaceX has stated that it is actively working to be as responsible as possible with the hardware left in space and to ensure space safety, even on more complex missions.

The impact of the Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon's surface is a reminder of the importance of responsible space exploration and the need for careful planning and execution to avoid debris hitting the moon's surface. As the space race continues to heat up, it is essential that space agencies and private companies prioritize space safety and take steps to mitigate the risk of debris hitting the moon's surface.

Key points

  • The Korea Aerospace Research Institute shared the first photographs captured by its lunar orbiter, showing signs of a recent impact on the moon's surface caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage.
  • The crater left by the Falcon 9 rocket stage is larger than several cars combined and is visible in the photographs taken by the Danuri lunar satellite.
  • The impact of the Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon's surface highlights the risk of debris hitting the moon as the space race heats up.
  • The crater is larger than several cars combined and is visible in the photographs taken by the Danuri lunar satellite.
  • The impact of the Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon's surface poses a significant threat to the safety of astronauts and equipment on future moon bases.
The Upside

The impact of the Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon's surface highlights the importance of responsible space exploration and the need for careful planning and execution to avoid debris hitting the moon's surface. This incident serves as a warning for future moon bases and emphasizes the need for space agencies and private companies to prioritize space safety.

The Downside

The impact of the Falcon 9 rocket stage on the moon's surface poses a significant threat to the safety of astronauts and equipment on future moon bases. The risk of debris hitting the moon's surface is a concern for space agencies and private companies, and it is essential that they take steps to mitigate this risk.

Originally reported at

wired.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsspacespacecraftrocketsmooncratersspace-xfalcon-9

Author

Jorge Garay

Intelligence analysis by

Llama

Published

Aug 8, 2026

Source

wired.com

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Topics

spacespacecraftrocketsmooncratersspace-xfalcon-9

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