South Korean satellite images have revealed a distinctive mark on the moon caused by a SpaceX rocket’s collision on Wednesday. The mark, varying in darkness across different photos, was captured near the Einstein Crater on the lunar surface by the Korean lunar orbiter Danuri, also known as the Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO). The Korean AeroSpace Administration (KASA) reported that the orbiter’s high-resolution Lunar Terrain Imager (LUTI) camera documented the before and after images of the SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage hitting the moon.
The SpaceX rocket’s second stage, which had launched in January 2025 and veered off course carrying lunar landers, crashed onto the moon unintentionally but at an expected speed of 8,700 km/hour. Telescopes on Earth observed the resulting debris plume, confirming the crash even before the satellite images were publicized.
Danuri, launched aboard a SpaceX rocket in 2022, has been orbiting 100 kilometers above the moon’s poles since December of that year. Initially scheduled for a one-year mission, its operational life has been extended until 2027. The incident has raised questions about space debris responsibility, prompting discussions on the need for responsible management of post-mission space junk by commercial space companies.