NASA before-and-after images show crater made by SpaceX rocket that struck the moon
- NASA released before-and-after images of the impact site on the moon taken by its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
- The crater was created when a SpaceX Falcon rocket upper stage hit the moon on Aug. 5 after drifting in space for more than a year.
- Scientists said the fresh crater appears to be about 60 feet across and less than 10 feet deep.
- The impact happened at about 5,400 mph, and the rocket had launched a pair of private moon landers in 2025.
- The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed the site about a week after the collision from about 60 miles above the moon.
- South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft previously sent back the first photos of the crash scene.
NASA has released the sharpest views yet of a fresh crater on the moon made by a SpaceX rocket. The images, taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, show the impact area before and after the collision.
According to scientists, the crater is about 60 feet across and less than 10 feet deep. Dark and bright streaks spread outward from the site, reflecting material excavated from different depths below the surface.
NASA said the Falcon rocket’s upper stage struck the moon on Aug. 5 after drifting through space for more than a year. The rocket had launched a pair of private moon landers in 2025 as part of NASA’s effort to support commercial lunar exploration.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured the site about a week after the impact from roughly 60 miles above the moon. South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft had earlier sent back the first images from the crash scene.
NASA前后对比图显示SpaceX火箭撞月留下的陨坑
NASA公布了月球上一个新陨坑的最新清晰影像，这个陨坑是由一枚SpaceX火箭撞击形成的。由月球勘测轨道器拍摄的图片展示了撞击点前后的变化。
科学家表示，这个陨坑大约60英尺宽、不到10英尺深。陨坑周围向外延伸的深浅条纹，反映出从月表不同深度被抛出的物质。
NASA称，这枚猎鹰火箭上面级在太空中漂移一年多后，于8月5日撞上月球。该火箭曾在2025年发射两个月球着陆器，这是NASA推动商业月球探索计划的一部分。
月球勘测轨道器在撞击后约一周、从月面上方约60英里处拍到了现场。韩国的Danuri航天器此前已率先传回撞击地点的照片。