SpaceX Space Junk Could Crash Into The Moon In August, Scientist Says

InnovationScienceSpaceX Space Junk Could Crash Into The Moon In August, Scientist SaysByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorMay 12, 2026, 02:15am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost and ispace's Resilience lunar landers, streaks into orbit after lifting off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 15, 2025. The upper stage could hit the moon on Aug. 5, 2026. (Photo by Gregg Newton / AFP) (Photo by GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesA discarded part of a rocket from Elon Musk’s SpaceX could crash into the moon early on Aug. 5, potentially creating a new crater, according to a new report. The upper stage of a rocket could slam into the moon on Aug. 5, on the western limb of the moon.The report is authored by Bill Gray at Project Pluto, a software program that tracks near-Earth objects — including the SpaceX space junk, designated 2025-010D.The rocket part — a 45 ft.(13.8 meter) upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket — was launched into space on Jan. 15, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.Where Is 2025-010D?2025-010D is currently in an elliptical 26-day orbit around Earth, reaching a distance of 310,000 miles (510,000 km) from Earth. That’s farther than the moon, which is, on average, 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) distant.Space debris in orbit is on the rise, with about 35,000 objects now tracked by space surveillance networks, according to the European Space Agency.MORE FOR YOUWhere Will 2025-010D Crash?Gray thinks 2025-010D will strike the moon close to Einstein, a 112-123 miles (181-198 kilometers) wide crater on the moon’s far western limb, which is difficult...