Why a SpaceX rocket hit the moon

An out-of-control rocket has smashed into the moon, giving it a new
crater and highlighting the risk of space junk striking the lunar surface
just as NASA pushes hard to return humans to our celestial neighbour

FALCON 9 ROCKET

Payload
fairing

Second
stage

Interstage
adapter
(returns
to Earth
with first
stage)

First
stage

Landing legs
(stowed for
launch)

A
B
C
D

Cargo: Blue Ghost Mission 1
(aka “Ghost Riders in the
Sky” catalogue number
2025-010A*) and Hakuto-R
Mission 2 (aka “Resilience”
#2025-010B), held in place
by payload adapter
#2025-010C

Einstein crater: Lies
on edge of moon as
viewed from Earth

Apollo 11
landing
site

SpaceX engineers pose with second stage

1
2
3

TIMELINE

Jan 15, 2025: Launch
of SpaceX Falcon 9
rocket (carrying two
moon landers)

First stage separates
and lands back on Earth
for reuse, as planned

Second stage
(#2025-010D*) carries
payload fairing into
higher Earth orbit

1 hour after launch:
Blue Ghost separates
from adapter

1hr 30mins: Hakuto-R
deploys

Mar 2: Mare
Crisium – Blue Ghost
lands successfully

Mar 15: Payload
adapter burns up on
re-entry to Earth’s
atmosphere, as planned

Jun 5: Mare
Frigoris – Hakuto-R
crashes due to
instrument failure

06:35GMT, Aug 5,
2026: Second stage –
size of five-storey
building (left) and
tumbling out of control
at 8,700 km/h –
crashes near moon’s
Einstein crater

1
2
3

*Numbers highlight year of launch and number of launch that year, with letters signifying pieces of
hardware. Sources: Space.com, Project Pluto, SpaceX. Pictures: NASA, SpaceX
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