New images show moon crater carved by SpaceX rocket
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured high-resolution images of a crater created by a SpaceX Falcon rocket upper stage that crashed into the moon in 2025. The impact site provides scientists with data on lunar surface composition and the effects of space debris.
Why it matters
As commercial space exploration increases, monitoring the environmental impact of private sector hardware on celestial bodies becomes increasingly important for scientific research.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A NASA spacecraft circling the moon is providing the sharpest views yet of the crater carved by a crashing SpaceX rocket .
The space agency released before-and-after photos of the impact area on Tuesday.
The Falcon rocket’s upper stage plowed into the moon at 5,400 mph (8,700 kph) on Aug. 5 after drifting through space for more than a year. It launched a pair of private moon landers with experiments and even a tiny rover in 2025 as part of NASA’s push to commercialize lunar exploration.
Based on these new photos by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the fresh crater appears to be 60 feet (18 meters) across and less than 10 feet (3 meters) deep, according to scientists.
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