The second stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which remained in space after a launch in January last year, is expected to crash into the lunar surface on Wednesday morning. CNN reports, citing NASA, writes UNN.
Details
It concerns the second stage of the launch vehicle that delivered two spacecraft to the Moon. The first stage successfully returned to Earth after launch, while the second, due to the influence of solar activity and gravity, ended up on a collision trajectory with Earth's satellite.
NASA emphasized that this situation poses no threat to Earth. At the same time, the agency plans to study the site of the future impact.
The collision will help study the lunar surface
The second stage of the rocket, weighing nearly 4,000 kilograms, is expected to hit the Einstein impact crater.
According to current estimates, the impact of the rocket stage could eject rocky material up to 805 kilometers from the impact site
According to scientists, the collision will not be visible to the naked eye, and the flash from the impact will last only about a second, so even telescopes will find it difficult to capture.
At the same time, researchers hope that the impact will help obtain new data on the structure and composition of the lunar surface.
According to CNN, this will be the second known case of a rocket stage falling on the Moon. The previous incident occurred in 2022, when a stage of a Chinese rocket crashed into the satellite's surface.
Space X launched a Falcon 9 rocket with a satellite servicing vehicle22.07.26, 11:27