South Korean orbiter captures crater formed by Falcon 9 debris striking Moon
South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter has captured images of a crater created by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage that struck the Moon in August 2025. The impact was unintentional, and NASA plans to conduct further assessments of the site next week.
Why it matters
This event underscores the growing issue of space debris and the environmental impact of human activity on celestial bodies.
South Korea’s lunar orbiter Danuri captured images of a crater formed after debris from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket struck the Moon, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
In a statement through US social media company X, KASA said Danuri photographed the area before and after the impact.
The images show a newly formed crater at the site where the rocket stage, weighing approximately 4 metric tons and standing as tall as a five-story building, struck the lunar surface.
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