A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is scheduled to strike the Moon’s northern hemisphere near Einstein Crater at approximately 2:35 a.m. Eastern time (06:35 GMT) on August 6, 2026, producing a visible plume of ejecta. The rocket launched in January 2026 carrying two lunar landers; the booster returned to Earth while the upper stage remained in orbit to propel the landers. Scientists say solar activity and gravitational forces have placed the stage on a collision course with the Moon. Benjamin Fernando of Los Alamos National Laboratory said the impact could generate a sunlit plume of debris that may be observable with telescopes. Researchers estimate the upper stage weighs about 4,000 kilograms (8,800 pounds) assuming propellant is depleted and will strike at roughly 8,690 kilometers per hour (5,400 miles per hour). NASA spokesperson Jimi Russell stated there is no danger to Earth and that NASA will track the booster for training and later observe the impact site for scientific study. Julianna Scheiman, director of NASA Science and Dragon Programs at SpaceX, explained at a news conference that the stage was maneuvered to remain safe per regulations, but solar activity and gravity altered its trajectory toward the Moon. The research paper, led by Fernando, encourages professional and amateur astronomers to view or record the collision, noting that data could improve methods for locating lunar impact sites, studying dust and plume dynamics, and assessing hazards from artificial debris. In the 1970s, NASA deliberately crashed rocket stages during the Apollo program to collect seismic data, a practice that informs current observations. The event underscores ongoing efforts to monitor space debris in lunar orbit as NASA plans a sustained human presence on the Moon.