A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's spent upper stage was expected to strike the Moon's surface on Wednesday 5 August at roughly 5,400mph (8,700km/h), potentially creating a new crater. Such an impact would be of scientific interest, as it could offer researchers insight into the Moon's subsurface composition and geology, similar to how past rocket-stage impacts have been studied.

Despite the crash being anticipated, confirmation images could take days or even weeks to emerge, according to the BBC's science correspondent Pallab Ghosh. This delay stems from the practical challenges of imaging the lunar surface, meaning space agencies and observers must wait for orbiting spacecraft to pass over and photograph the suspected impact site before any evidence can be verified.