A Chinese Satellite Captured Footage Of A Falcon 9 Rocket Stage Falling Onto The Moon

• 6.08.2026, 20:34

Photo Fact.

A satellite operated by the Chinese company ATmoto Technology, the Gande-101, captured the moment a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage collided with the Moon’s surface. Like the telescope in Chile, it did not detect a visible trail of lunar dust during the impact, according to the South China Morning Post.

The Falcon 9 second stage crashed into the lunar surface on August 5 at a speed of 8,700 km/h. “The collision of debris from the Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage with the lunar surface was ‘unplanned’ …it provided an excellent opportunity to test the performance of the space situational awareness system,” ATmoto Technology stated (as quoted by the SCMP).

The impact was confirmed by NASA and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Scientists also reported that their telescope detected spectral lines of sodium and lithium gases following the collision. In addition, they said a plume of lunar dust rose immediately after the impact.