SpaceX Falcon 9 Stage Will Hit Moon on Aug. 5 at 5,400 mph as Astronomers Mobilize
Updated
Updated · Scientific American · Jul 22
SpaceX Falcon 9 Stage Will Hit Moon on Aug. 5 at 5,400 mph as Astronomers Mobilize
3 articles · Updated · Scientific American · Jul 22
Summary
A 10,800-pound Falcon 9 upper stage is forecast to strike the Moon near Einstein Crater at about 2:34 a.m. EDT on Aug. 5, delivering energy comparable to roughly 3 tons of TNT.
A new arXiv preprint from 23 astronomers urges coordinated observations because the failed reentry left the stage in a hard-to-predict Earth-Moon orbit shaped by gravity and solar radiation pressure.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter plans before-and-after imaging of the site, and South Korea’s Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter will also try to capture the impact and survey the aftermath.
The impact flash may be difficult to see because the crash is expected on the Moon’s sunlit side, though scientists say ejecta rising off the limb could stand out against dark space.
The event offers a rare real-time test of lunar impact physics and a warning for future moon missions, as agencies expand plans for crewed operations and longer-term lunar bases.