The moon is about to get a new visitor—a spent rocket stage from a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch last year. This crash is scheduled for early August and will leave a mark on the lunar surface.
In January 2025, Firefly Aerospace launched its Blue Ghost Mission 1, with a successful lunar landing occurring on March 2. This mission marked a significant milestone as it was the first fully successful commercial landing on the moon’s Mare Crisium.
Meanwhile, the Falcon 9’s leftover upper stage, known as 2025-010D, is currently on a trajectory toward the moon. Bill Gray, an expert from Project Pluto, confirmed, “We’ve been tracking it since launch. The orbit has changed slightly and is now aimed for a lunar impact.” His work includes creating software to help astronomers monitor space objects.
Project Pluto has even shared data on this Falcon 9 stage and its anticipated impact on August 5. Gray expressed hope that the collision might be visible from Earth. He noted that it will hit near the moon’s sunlit edge, where conditions could allow for some sighting opportunities, unlike a previous NASA mission called LCROSS that impacted the moon in 2009 with little visibility.
Gray mentioned, “We might see something this time, but it won’t necessarily be brighter than the last event.” He plans to observe the impact with a small telescope, though he remains cautious about visibility due to the sunlight.
While Gray acknowledges that this moon crash might yield a few scientific insights, he argues it also highlights the need for better management of space debris. He stated, “It doesn’t pose a danger, but it shows a level of carelessness about how we handle leftover hardware.”
As space exploration increases, the concerns associated with space debris are becoming clearer. According to a 2022 report by the European Space Agency, there are over 36,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 cm orbiting the Earth. Future missions, especially with more lunar landings and potential human bases on the moon, could complicate the issue further. Gray noted, “In a few years, as humans set foot on the moon, the stakes will be much higher.”
He emphasized that as we venture further into space, careful planning must come into play, particularly for the disposal of rocket stages and other equipment to avoid jeopardizing future missions and occupant safety. The contrast between past and current practices reveals a pressing need for change in space management strategies as we push the boundaries of exploration.
