Danuri to observe SpaceX rocket stage impact on Moon

South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter is set to observe the Moon's surface following an anticipated impact by the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Korea Aerospace Administration announced that Danuri will monitor the lunar surface before and after the collision, which is scheduled for Monday.

The approximately 4.9-ton rocket stage is predicted to strike the Moon near the Einstein crater at a speed of 2.43 kilometers per second. This impact is expected to create a crater roughly 20 to 30 meters in diameter, ejecting dust several kilometers high.

The rocket stage, having completed its mission of delivering a lunar lander in January, is now drifting through space due to insufficient fuel to alter its orbit. It will collide with the Moon after traversing the gravitational balance point between Earth and the Moon.

Danuri will adjust its orbit to pass over the impact site three times on the day of the collision, capturing images with its high-resolution and polarizing cameras. The orbiter had previously photographed the area around the predicted impact zone to gather comparative data.

While the impact's effects are expected to be localized, the incident raises concerns about the increasing amount of space debris in lunar environments. The lack of international regulations for managing rocket debris could lead to repeated surface damage as lunar exploration expands. This observation is considered the first of its kind, allowing for a direct comparison of a specific area before and after a controlled impact. The collected data will be shared with international researchers, including NASA, to aid in understanding lunar surface dynamics and natural meteoroid impacts.