Falcon 9 upper stage hits Moon as predicted, offering new clues to lunar impacts

A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon on August 5 as predicted, giving scientists a rare, fully documented lunar impact to study. The stage came from a January 2025 Falcon 9 launch that sent Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander to the Moon. Solar activity and gravity altered its orbit. South Korea's Danuri orbiter and ground telescopes captured the impact and debris plume. Scientists say the impact’s scale was typical of natural meteoroid strikes, but its known origin makes it valuable for refining ejecta models and planning future lunar missions.