[Reuters/Yonhap]
[Reuters/Yonhap]

A SpaceX rocket booster that had been drifting through space crashed into the lunar surface Wednesday, renewing concerns about the growing problem of space debris on the moon. The impact is estimated to have carved a new crater up to 30 meters in diameter.

Forbes reported Wednesday that a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the far side of the moon near Einstein Crater at approximately 5,400 miles per hour (about 8,690 kph).

The booster had completed its mission after launching the private lunar lander Blue Ghost Mission 1 and ispace's Resilience lander on Jan. 15 last year, then drifted uncontrolled through space before the collision.

The booster had initially gone unmonitored, but astronomers began tracking it after scientists flagged the possibility of a lunar impact — and it struck the moon as expected.

Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico estimated that the roughly 4-ton booster gouged a new crater between 19.8 and 30.5 meters in diameter.

The crash adds to the growing accumulation of man-made debris on the lunar surface.

According to Forbes, an estimated 209 tons of man-made structures and waste have accumulated on the moon since the Apollo program of the 1960s. The bulk consists of components from Apollo lunar modules, remnants of spacecraft from various national space agencies and assorted equipment.

The issue is gaining urgency as NASA's Artemis program to build a lunar base, China's crewed moon exploration plans and a wave of private-sector lunar ventures all move into high gear, making space debris an increasingly pressing challenge.

Experts warn that as lunar exploration intensifies, untracked debris poses a growing risk of damaging satellites, future moon bases and historically significant sites such as the Apollo landing zones.

Calls are growing for international standards governing the disposal of space equipment and debris management not only in Earth orbit but on the moon as well.


sjy@heraldcorp.com