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Defunct SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Stage Projected to Impact the Moon
Just the facts
Scientists calculated that the spent SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket hardware will strike the lunar surface at a velocity exceeding 5,000 miles per hour. The collision marks an unintentional lunar impact by a piece of artificial space debris. Astronomers intend to monitor the trajectory to observe the resulting impact crater and lunar dust ejection. SpaceX originally manufactured and launched the Falcon 9 rocket as part of its commercial spaceflight programs.
Why this is news
Astronomers and space tracking experts confirmed that a defunct upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is on a collision course with the moon. The spent rocket stage has drifted in high Earth orbit since completing its initial launch mission.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.