SpaceX rocket stage expected to slam into Moon
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is set to crash into the Moon's northern hemisphere near the Einstein Crater. NASA and other scientists plan to observe the impact to study the resulting debris plume.
Why it matters
While the impact poses no threat to Earth, it provides a rare opportunity for scientists to study lunar surface composition through the ejecta created by the collision.
Ask AI 2 min It is expected to slam into the Moon's northern hemisphere near the Einstein Crater.
A SpaceX rocket's upper stage is set to unintentionally crash into the Moon on Wednesday, a collision that poses no danger to Earth but will leave behind a lunar crater.
Scientists and amateur stargazers alike are looking forward to observing the sunlit plume of rubble and debris that is expected after the Falcon 9 upper stage strikes the lunar surface at approximately 2:35 am Eastern (8:35 SA time)
"It might be possible for folks with a telescope to observe the plume of ejecta created by the impact," said Benjamin Fernando of Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, the lead author on a recent paper on the anticipated impact.
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