SpaceX has scarred the moon forever: Before-and-after images reveal how Elon Musk's out-of-control rocket carved a 60-foot crater into the…

A piece of space debris, identified as a spent Falcon 9 rocket booster from a 2015 SpaceX mission, impacted the far side of the Moon on March 4, 2022. The collision, initially anticipated to create a double crater due to its dual-lobed shape, instead formed a single, roughly 60-foot wide indentation. This event marks the first known instance of a man-made object unintentionally impacting the lunar surface, leaving a permanent scar.

The incident is significant as it highlights the growing challenge of managing space debris in Earth orbit and beyond. As more missions are launched, the potential for uncontrolled objects to pose risks to other spacecraft or celestial bodies increases. The long-term implications of such impacts on lunar geology and future exploration are also a subject of ongoing scientific discussion.