South Korean satellite captures before and after views of SpaceX rocket's moon crash
- A South Korean satellite, Danuri, captured images of the moon's surface after a SpaceX rocket segment crashed into it.
- The crash occurred at a speed of 5,400 mph and is believed to have created a visible crater on the moon's surface.
- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is expected to fly over the crash site next week to assess the aftermath.
A South Korean satellite has captured the first images of the moon's surface following the collision caused by a stray SpaceX rocket. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri spacecraft flew over the impact site shortly after the Falcon 9 upper stage inadvertently crashed into the moon.
The crash, which occurred at a speed of 5,400 mph, has yet to be officially confirmed, but scientists are confident it happened as predicted. The impact created a darker area on the moon's surface where the rocket hit, resulting in a visible crater and dispersing dust and rock.
NASA expects its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to survey the crash site next week. The upper stage that crashed was launched by SpaceX in 2022 and was placed on a collision course due to solar activity and gravity.
韩国卫星捕捉到SpaceX火箭撞击月球前后的影像
一颗韩国卫星捕捉到了SpaceX火箭撞击月球后表面的首批影像。韩国航空航天研究院的Danuri航天器在Falcon 9火箭上级意外撞击月球后不久飞越了撞击现场。
此次撞击发生时速度为5400英里每小时，尚未得到官方确认，但科学家们对此事件的发生充满信心。撞击在月球表面形成了一个较暗的区域，造成了可见的陨石坑，并散布了尘土和岩石。
NASA预计其月球勘测轨道器将在下周对撞击现场进行勘测。此次撞击的上级火箭是SpaceX于2022年发射的，因太阳活动和重力而意外进入了碰撞轨道。