SpaceX Rocket Part Crashes Into the Moon, NASA Explains What Caused the Unplanned Impact

According to a video posted on X by NASA, a discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage unintentionally crashed into the lunar surface early on Wednesday after floating in space for more than a year after its mission was over.

According to NASA, the unanticipated impact was caused by a mix of gravitational forces and solar activity. In January 2025, the Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage was launched in an effort to deploy two business lunar landers before being left in an uncontrolled orbit. Following the completion of its assignment, the rocket stage lacked the fuel necessary to return to Earth or enter a stable disposal orbit, which led NASA to predict that it would wander through cislunar space for more than a year. The rocket impacted the Moon at a velocity of around 5,400 mph (approximately 8,700 km/h).

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The collision took place close to the Einstein Crater on the western limb of the Moon, an area that is challenging to see directly from Earth, according to NASA. Based on spacecraft tracking data and observations made prior to and following the anticipated collision, NASA stated that it has ‘100% confidence’ that the impact occurred.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Aug. 5, a portion of a @SpaceX rocket impacted on the Moon’s surface. In this video, we answer some of your questions. pic.twitter.com/BhWcGfRYMO — NASA (@NASA) August 5, 2026

NASA says that its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will image the impact site in the coming days to confirm the newly formed crater and investigate the effects of the high speed collision. NASA stated that because the occurrence included an inactive rocket stage striking the moon, it did not pose any threat to Earth or public safety. By contrasting photos acquired before and after the event, the collision will offer researchers a rare opportunity to examine how the lunar surface responds to fast crashes.

According to NASA, the occurrence also underlines the rising difficulty of handling space debris outside of Earth’s orbit, particularly as the number of lunar missions under programs like Artemis continue to rise.