What will happen when a SpaceX rocket collides with the Moon?
A discarded upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is on a collision course with the Moon, with impact expected on August 5. NASA and independent astronomers are tracking the object, noting there is no danger to Earth.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the growing issue of space debris and the environmental impact of human activity on celestial bodies.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, The rocket component that will strike the Moon is the upper section of a SpaceX Falcon 9
The Moon has endured countless blows over millions of years. Asteroids and meteors have given the satellite its signature pockmarked surface and network of craters. More recently, it has also experienced impacts from the plucky little probes and landers that Earthbound space agencies have sent hurtling its way.
Now on Wednesday, scientists expect the Moon will experience yet another collision, this time from a drifting SpaceX rocket that has been travelling at around 2.43 kilometres per second, or about 5,400mph.
The upper stage (section) of one of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets will "impact" the Moon on 5 August, according to Nasa's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).
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