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NASA Releases Satellite Images of Moon Crater Caused by SpaceX Booster Crash
Just the facts
Scientists analyzing photos from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter determined that the impact crater measures approximately 60 feet across and less than 10 feet deep. The SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage had drifted in space since launching private lunar landers in January 2025 before striking the Earth-facing side of the moon on August 5, 2026. Dark and bright material streaks emanating from the crater reveal excavated surface soil shaped by solar radiation alongside newly exposed subsurface rock. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has operated in lunar orbit since 2009 to map the moon's surface and evaluate potential sites for future lunar missions.
Why this is news
NASA released satellite imagery captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter showing a fresh crater created on the moon by an 8,800-pound SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage. The spacecraft imaged the collision site after the rocket stage crashed into the lunar surface at 5,400 miles per hour.
Sources
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