SpaceX Leaves Its Mark on the Moon, Literally
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage that got stranded in orbit after a January 2025 launch finally met its end, slamming into the Moon near Einstein Crater on August 5 at 5,400 mph. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, working off tips from South Korea's Danuri mission, tilted its cameras to snap the aftermath: a fresh 60 foot wide, 10 foot deep crater with bright debris rays fanning out. It's a rare real world data point on how space junk reshapes the Moon, and a preview of hazards future lunar bases will have to dodge.
Humanity's litter problem has officially left Earth's orbit and gone interplanetary.