SpaceX rocket stage to impact the Moon on August 5

A discarded upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is on a confirmed collision course with the Moon and is expected to impact the lunar surface on August 5, 2026. According to NASA and its Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the object is traveling at a speed of approximately 2.43 kilometers per second, or about 8,750 kilometers per hour. NASA spokesperson Jimmy Russell has explicitly stated that there is no danger to Earth.

The debris originates from a joint American-Japanese mission launched in January 2025, which carried two lunar landers and scientific equipment to the Moon. While most of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle is designed for reuse, this specific upper stage remained in space after completing its primary mission. The impact was initially identified by independent astronomers using publicly available data, which was subsequently verified by NASA officials.

NASA plans to continue monitoring the object until the moment of impact and intends to study the crash site afterward for educational and scientific research purposes. This event has highlighted ongoing concerns regarding space debris management and the long-term impact of discarded hardware on orbital environments near the Moon.