South Korean orbiter images Moon crater from SpaceX impact

A South Korean spacecraft has captured the first images of a new crater on the moon created by the accidental impact of a SpaceX rocket stage. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri orbiter photographed the site shortly after a Falcon 9 upper stage slammed into the lunar surface at 5,400 miles per hour on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.

The impact occurred at 2:34 a.m. EDT near the Einstein Crater, according to the space agency. Danuri began observations approximately 30 minutes before the collision and conducted eight imaging sessions over multiple passes. The released images show a distinct, darkened impact cavity with traces of ejected material spread across the surrounding terrain. Agency officials stated that Danuri secured both pre-collision and immediate post-collision footage, enabling analysis of changes caused solely by the event.

The rocket body involved was the upper stage from a Falcon 9 launch on January 15, 2025, which carried two private robotic moon landers. After delivering its payloads to a high Earth orbit, the approximately 8,800-pound stage lacked sufficient fuel for a controlled disposal in Earth's atmosphere. It subsequently remained in orbit until...