SpaceX rocket crash near Einstein crater threatens future lunar bases

A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon on August 5, creating a crater without causing damage, and underscoring space junk threats to future lunar bases. The four-tonne upper stage hit near Einstein crater at 2.43 km/s after releasing two robotic landers, Blue Ghost and Hakuto-R, and being left in orbit. South Korea's Danuri spacecraft imaged the impact site. The Moon has no atmosphere, so any incoming debris hits the surface. Expanding lunar missions and bases face risks from spent rocket stages to astronauts, infrastructure, and historic sites such as Apollo 11.