Part of a SpaceX rocket traveling at more than 5,000 miles per hour crashed into the moon early Wednesday morning. Watching a lunar impact in real timeThe SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is seen arcing over the sky after liftoff in 2025. But impacts from artificial objects like the Falcon 9 upper stage have only occurred a handful of times, according to the study. Understanding lunar risksThe upper stage is located toward the top of the rocket stack. But the moon has no air to protect its surface, Wiegert noted.