New crater? Rocket space junk to collide with the moon at 5,800 mph

Impact expected to leave hole up to 66 feet across

Moon stock image (Pixabay)

The moon has been -- or will soon be -- struck by a powerful punch.

Three tons of space junk will crash into the far side of the moon at 5,800 mph sometime Friday, according to the Associated Press.

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But once the space junk smashes into the moon, it will send moon dust across the surface. It could be days, weeks or months before telescope and satellite images are able to confirm the impact.

Scientists predict the object will carve out a hole estimated at 33-66 feet across, the size of which could fit several tractor-trailers.

The moon has a lot of craters already because there is little to no atmosphere in space to protect it from meteors, asteroids or the occasional spacecraft. And with no weather or erosion, impact craters last forever.

There is no clear answer as to what or who is responsible for the debris, but it’s suspected to be left over from a Chinese rocket.

Tracking low-orbiting space junk is not difficult. Objects that are launched deep into space can easily be forgotten when they have no destination in sight.


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Brittany joined ClickOrlando.com in January 2022.

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