On Wednesday, August 5th, 2026, the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to crash into the Moon's northern hemisphere near the Einstein Crater at approximately 2:35 a.m. Eastern Time (06:35 GMT). Scientists attribute the rocket's trajectory toward the lunar surface to a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces.

The spacecraft, estimated to weigh about 8,800 pounds (4,000 kilograms) assuming all propellant is spent, will strike the Moon at a speed of roughly 5,400 miles per hour (8,690 kilometers per hour). This unintentional collision is not expected to pose any danger to Earth but will leave behind a new lunar crater.

Scientists and amateur astronomers anticipate observing the sunlit plume of rubble and debris generated by the impact. Benjamin Fernando of Los Alamos National Laboratory, lead author of a recent study on the event, noted, "It might be possible for folks with a telescope to observe the plume of ejecta created by the impact." However, he added, "It is unclear how bright it will be, which is one of the reasons why we are looking to study this event."

The Falcon 9 rocket launched in January 2026, carrying two lunar landers. While the booster returned to Earth, the upper stage remained in space to propel the landers onward. Julianna Scheiman, director of NASA Science and Dragon Programs at SpaceX, explained that for such "high-energy missions," SpaceX typically performs maneuvers to ensure the second stage is "safe per the appropriate rules and regulations."

NASA spokesperson Jimi Russell reassured the public, stating, "There is no danger to Earth." The event recalls similar deliberate lunar impacts conducted by NASA during the Apollo program in the 1970s to collect seismic data.

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