No binding rules govern upper-stage disposal as commercial lunar missions increase

A four-ton Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon on August 5, 2026, after 19 months untracked in cislunar space — the region between Earth and the Moon. SpaceX cited insufficient leftover propellant for controlled disposal. Unlike low Earth orbit, cislunar space has no binding debris rules. With NASA's commercial lunar delivery program scaling up, that gap is widening.