SpaceX rocket debris crashes into the Moon, only second known accidental lunar impact

A four-tonne spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon near the Einstein Crater on 5 August 2026 at roughly 06:35 UTC, travelling 8,700 km/h with the force of three tonnes of TNT. Orbiting spacecraft documented the ejecta plume. It is only the second known case of discarded rocket hardware accidentally hitting the lunar surface.