Before-and-after NASA images show crater carved by a SpaceX rocket that slammed into the moon
- NASA released before-and-after images of the impact site of a SpaceX rocket stage that crashed into the moon.
- The Falcon rocket's upper stage hit the moon on Aug. 5 at about 5,400 mph after drifting in space for more than a year.
- Scientists estimate the fresh crater is about 60 feet across and less than 10 feet deep.
- The images show dark and bright streaks spreading from the crater, with darker material coming from near the surface and brighter material ejected from deeper layers.
- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed the site about a week after the impact from roughly 60 miles above the moon.
- South Korea's Danuri spacecraft had previously been first to return photos of the crash site.
NASA has released its clearest before-and-after views yet of a crater on the moon created by a SpaceX rocket stage that struck the surface on Aug. 5. The images were taken by the agency's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and show the impact site after the rocket's upper stage crashed into the moon following a long drift through space.
Scientists said the fresh crater is about 60 feet wide and less than 10 feet deep. The photos also show dark and bright streaks radiating from the crater, which researchers say reflect material excavated from different depths below the lunar surface.
The orbiter captured the scene about a week after impact from roughly 60 miles above the moon. Flight controllers had to tilt the spacecraft to point its cameras at the site. The Chinese? No, the earlier images came from South Korea's Danuri spacecraft, while NASA's orbiter provided the sharpest views so far.
NASA前后对比图显示SpaceX火箭撞击月球留下的陨坑
NASA公布了迄今最清晰的月球撞击前后对比图，显示一枚SpaceX火箭上级在月面形成了新的陨坑。图像来自NASA的月球勘测轨道飞行器，记录了火箭级在长时间太空漂流后于8月5日撞上月球的地点。
科学家表示，这个新陨坑直径约60英尺，深度不到10英尺。照片还显示，陨坑周围有深色和明亮的条纹向外延伸，研究人员认为这反映了来自月表不同深度的物质被抛射出来。
该轨道器在撞击约一周后、距月面约60英里的高度拍下了现场。飞行控制人员为让相机对准撞击区域，还调整了探测器姿态。此前，韩国Danuri探测器率先传回了该撞击点的图像，而NASA这次提供了更清晰的视角。