SpaceX Rocket Stage Crashes Into Moon at 5,400 MPH, Triggering Chemical Plume

Astronomers using the Very Large Telescope in Chile have confirmed that a four-ton SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage struck the lunar surface at 5,400 mph, detecting a massive gas plume from the impact zone.

The collision generated a plume of sodium and lithium gas spanning tens of kilometers across that persisted for five to 10 minutes, according to Carl Schmidt, a planetary scientist at Boston University’s Center for Space Physics. The observation confirms predictions made in April by independent astronomer Bill Grey, who calculated the trajectory following the rocket’s launch.

NASA estimates the high-velocity impact on the sunlit side of the moon carved out a crater measuring roughly 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep. Direct optical imaging from ground observatories was blocked by sunlight intensity on the lunar surface, though the kinetic energy released was comparable to routine meteoroid strikes absorbed by the moon.

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea’s Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter are currently maneuvering to capture detailed imagery of the newly formed crater. Imaging timeline and success depend on orbital position, solar illumination angles, and transmission schedules over the coming days.

The abandoned upper stage belonged to the Jan. 15, 2025 Blue Ghost mission, which successfully carried two commercial lunar landers into orbit. SpaceX noted in a post on X that while low-Earth orbit flights utilize controlled ocean re-entries, deep-space lunar transfer trajectories expend nearly all onboard propellant, preventing targeted deorbit burns.

SpaceX added that solar radiation and gravitational forces ultimately guided the derelict vehicle into its lunar impact path. Addressing deep-space orbital debris concerns, NASA affirmed that disposing of upper stages on the lunar surface remains a technically accepted safety protocol when low lunar orbit missions lack alternative return options.