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SpaceX Falcon 9 Upper Stage to Hit Moon Aug 5

5/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage will strike the Moon on 5 August 2026 at 06:44 UTC.
The impact will hit near Einstein crater at about seven times the speed of sound.
The 70-meter, 550,000-kg stage launched in January 2025 as mission 2025-010D with Blue Ghost 1 and Hakuto-R 2.
Its 26-day orbit ranges from a 220,000-km perigee to a 510,000-km apogee, crossing the Moon’s 400,000-km distance.
Scientists warn that increasing space-junk disposal threatens future lunar missions.

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Story summary

The U.S. SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage will strike the Moon on 5 August 2026 at 06:44 UTC.
The impact will hit near Einstein crater at about seven times the speed of sound.
The 70-meter, 550,000-kg stage launched in January 2025 as mission 2025-010D with Blue Ghost 1 and Hakuto-R 2.
Its 26-day orbit ranges from a 220,000-km perigee to a 510,000-km apogee, crossing the Moon’s 400,000-km distance.
Scientists warn that increasing space-junk disposal threatens future lunar missions.