A 13-meter rocket hit the Moon: Tasmanian researchers helped track it there

A 13-meter Falcon 9 rocket stage hit the moon last month, leaving a crater about 20 meters wide. The University of Tasmania researchers tracked the object using radar from radio telescopes across Australia, helping refine predictions of its impact. The team observed the rocket, which was slightly off its predicted position, and used this data to improve the impact prediction. Oliver White, a Ph.D. candidate, led the observations, and his analysis showed the rocket was tumbling, completing a rotation every seven minutes. The radar echo provided information about the rocket's movement, which was crucial for understanding its trajectory. The event was significant as it was the first time researchers studied an object about to impact another celestial body, highlighting the growing role of space debris tracking.

• The rocket was tracked using radar from radio telescopes in Hobart, Ceduna, and Yarragadee.
• The observations revealed the rocket was tumbling, with a full rotation every seven minutes.
• The data collected helped improve predictions of the impact, and the event was a rare opportunity to study an object 400,000 kilometers from Earth.

The Falcon 9 upper stage had been in space since its launch in January 2025, carrying private lunar landers. The moon's lack of atmosphere meant there was nothing to slow the rocket before impact. The event was part of an international effort to observe the impact, with data shared between universities and space agencies. The work comes as Australia takes a larger role in tracking space debris, with the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee. The University of Tasmania contributed expertise and observations to this effort. The event underscores the importance of tracking space debris, especially as more spacecraft are sent beyond Earth's orbit.

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