dailyloe.com – A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage is predicted to collide with the Moon on August 5, 2026, at approximately 06:44 UTC. The impact will occur at around seven times the speed of sound, striking Einstein crater.
This information comes from Bill Gray, an independent astronomer and developer of the Project Pluto software for tracking near-Earth objects. He notes that the motion of space debris is mostly predictable, influenced by the gravity of celestial bodies.
The Falcon 9 is a partially reusable rocket, measuring 70 meters tall and weighing 550,000 kilograms at launch. The upper stage designated for the Moon collision is from the Falcon 9 launch that took place in January 2025.
This launch included the Blue Ghost mission 1 and the Hakuto-R Mission 2 among its payload. Unlike other Falcon 9 second stages that have re-entered Earth’s atmosphere or entered solar orbits, this one remains on a path that intersects with the Moon.
Currently, the Falcon 9 upper stage takes about 26 days to complete an orbit around Earth. Its closest approach brings it within 220,000 kilometers of Earth, while its farthest point, or apogee, stretches to approximately 510,000 kilometers.
This trajectory enables the Falcon 9 upper stage to intersect with the Moon’s gravitational path. The Moon orbits Earth at an average distance of about 400,000 kilometers.
