The SpaceX Falcon Lunar Crash Is a Warning for Moon Bases
A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage is set to impact the lunar surface, creating a significant crater and debris plume. This event highlights growing concerns regarding space debris and the environmental impact of increasing lunar exploration missions.
Why it matters
As nations and private companies ramp up lunar exploration, the lack of regulation regarding space debris poses long-term risks to future moon bases and orbital safety.
The rocket set for moon impact is the upper stage of a Falcon 9 that transported a pair of lunar landers. While the landers successfully reached the surface, the rocket was left adrift since it did not have enough fuel to return to Earth or enter a stable orbit.
Weighing four metric tons, the rocket is expected to strike the lunar surface at a speed of approximately 5,400 mph—about seven times the speed of sound. Without an atmosphere to slow the projectile down, the impact will cause an explosion equivalent to three metric tons of TNT, leaving a crater that’s projected to be up to 27 meters in diameter and 5 meters deep.
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