Astronomers recently stated that a rocket launched by SpaceX is heading towards a collision with the moon, after wandering randomly in space for years due to loss of control. According to the British newspaper "The Guardian," this rocket was launched from Florida in February 2015 as part of an interplanetary mission aimed at sending data about space weather through a journey spanning one million miles.
This rocket successfully completed its mission by launching a satellite from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to what is known as the "Lagrange Point," which is the equilibrium point between Earth's and the moon's gravitational fields. However, during the second phase, the rocket malfunctioned, and it no longer had enough fuel to return to Earth's atmosphere, nor did it possess sufficient energy to escape the gravitational pull of Earth and the moon.
Space scientist Eric Bergie explained that when these factors combined, the rocket began to follow a random path in space for several years. Experts estimate the weight of this rocket at four metric tons, classifying it as "space debris," and it is said to be on a collision course with the moon at a speed of 2.58 kilometers per second within weeks.
Researcher Bill Gray, an expert in tracking space objects, indicated that the upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket might collide with the far side of the moon on March 4th. Gray added that this anticipated collision would mark the first time space debris impacts the moon's surface, stating that we will not be able to observe this event from Earth.
