SpaceX rocket segment to crash into the moon: What happened?

What the report says

A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper-stage rocket segment was believed to have struck the Moon on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera, after drifting in space since a January launch from Florida. The impact was expected around 2:35am ET and may have hit Einstein Crater on the Moon’s western side, an area that is difficult to observe from Earth. Experts said the collision would not pose any danger to Earth.

The rocket part came from a mission that carried two lunar landers. SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 is designed so its booster returns to Earth, while the upper stage usually burns up later or falls into the ocean. In this case, the stage remained in space after using extra thrust needed for the lunar mission and later lost the ability to be controlled. Astronomers said natural forces and solar activity appear to have nudged it onto a lunar trajectory.

NASA said it would continue tracking the object for training and scientific observation, while SpaceX and NASA were said to be discussing ways to avoid similar future impacts. The event adds to wider concerns about space debris as agencies expand lunar activity. Al Jazeera noted that planned Artemis missions and other lunar projects make safe disposal of leftover hardware increasingly important.

Artificial impacts on the Moon are uncommon, though not unprecedented. Al Jazeera cited earlier examples, including a Chinese rocket stage in 2022 and intentional NASA impacts for research purposes.