South Korean orbiter captures first images of Falcon 9 stage impact on the Moon

South Korea's Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter has captured the first images of the Falcon 9 rocket stage impact site on the Moon, providing initial evidence for scientific research. On August 5, 2026, the SpaceX second stage struck near the Einstein crater at roughly 8,700 km/h. NASA said the force equaled three tons of TNT, creating an estimated 18-meter-wide, 4-meter-deep crater. The stage weighed about four tons. No images of the impact moment have been released. Chile's Very Large Telescope detected only chemical traces of ejected lunar soil. Orbiter photos show a dark patch and a new crater against 2015 imagery.