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A South Korean spacecraft has provided the first photographic evidence of damage caused by a wayward SpaceX rocket that struck the moon earlier this week. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s Danuri orbiter documented the impact site through multiple orbital passes and transmitted comparative imagery showing the crater and surrounding terrain disruption.
The collision occurred Wednesday when a Falcon 9 upper stage hit the lunar surface at 5,400 mph, according to SpaceX officials. The impact darkened the terrain noticeably and ejected dust and rock across the area, with the aerospace company attributing the accidental trajectory to solar activity and gravitational forces.
Korean space authorities released the before-and-after photographs Thursday, providing scientists with initial detailed views of the crash site from lunar orbit. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to conduct its own flyover of the location next week to assess additional impact details.
SpaceX transported the Danuri spacecraft from Cape Canaveral to lunar orbit in 2022 as part of a commercial partnership. The company also deployed private lunar landers to the moon in 2023, with the upper stage from that mission being the rocket component that impacted the surface this week.
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