SpaceX rocket slams into Moon at 5,400mph creating new crater on lunar surface as Nasa monitors dramatic crash

A SPACEX rocket has crashed into the Moon at a blinding 5,400mph – with the impact creating a 100ft wide crater on the lunar surface. A school-bus-sized part of the Falcon 9 aircraft hurtled into the Moon at seven times the speed of sound, unleashing a blast equivalent to three tonnes of TNT. Part of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is believed to have slammed into the Moon Credit: Reuters The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket races past a crescent moon in July Credit: Alamy Nasa is now monitoring the sensational crash – with extraordinary visuals of the crater set to be released later today. A plume of smoke and rubble is expected to be seen billowing from the site of the explosive impact. Sign up for the Tech newsletter Thank you! The Falcon 9 rocket was launched last year, before its top 4,000kg section was shed from its main body as planned. But the trajectory of the discarded part has sent it smashing into the Moon’s surface at Mach 7. The SpaceX rocket is believed to have crashed close to the Moon’s Einstein Crater – a section that is exposed to daylight and is visible from Earth. This area is on the opposite side of the Moon from the Apollo 11 landing site – where Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin made history by stepping foot on the lunar surface. The crater is believed to be up to 30 metres wide – but still too small to be seen by the naked eye from Earth. The crash, which is said to have taken place around 7:35am UK time, is now set to be confirmed by specialist telescopes monitoring the event. Most read in Tech Part of a SpaceX rocket crashed into the Moon at 7:35am UK time Credit: AFP The Moon has been left with a new 100ft wide crater, it is understood Credit: Getty A Nasa spokesperson has claimed the crash poses “no danger to Earth”. The US space agency will also now “collect lunar data from the event and refine techniques for tracking objects in space”. Nasa’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea‘s Danuri lunar orbiter are set to release pictures of the impact in the coming hours. Although the rocket – roughly the same size as a school bus – caused a massive explosion as it slammed into the Moon, the impact flash would have last less than a second. The Falcon 9 rocket was launched in January 2025 and has been drifting in space for over a year. It took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and was carrying Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander. The lander successfully touched down on the Moon in March 2025. The abandoned 45ft rocket part that helped it blast off into space was supposed to have fallen off and later be burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere. But for some reason, it ended up being dragged closer and closer to the Moon – before Wednesday’s shocking impact. More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us on TikTok @TheSun. 1 comment1