South Korea's Danuri orbiter confirms Falcon 9 crater near Einstein

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage struck the Moon on August 5, and South Korea's Danuri orbiter captured images confirming the resulting crater, which researchers will now study. The impact occurred at 8:35 a.m. near the Einstein crater. Scientists estimate the crater is 18 to 40 meters wide and several meters deep. The discarded second stage launched in January 2025 carried two private lunar landers. NASA says meteoroids of similar energy hit the Moon every six days. Because this impact's mass, speed, and trajectory are known, it offers a rare opportunity to study high-speed impacts for future lunar infrastructure.