SpaceX’s Falcon 9 wasn't the first rocket to crash into the moon. Here's a rundown

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket upper stage that collided with the moon on Wednesday (Aug. 5), was just the latest in a line of energetic lunar touchdowns.

The top 3

  1. The Pioneer: First Intentional Lunar Impact: The Soviet Union's Luna 2 probe was the first human-made object to intentionally impact the Moon on September 14, 1959, near the craters Archimedes, Aristillus, and Autolycus, demonstrating the capability to reach another celestial body.
  2. America's Early Lunar Impact Missions: The US achieved its first intentional lunar impact with the Ranger 7 probe in July 1964, providing close-up photos before its planned crash. Earlier, Ranger 4 had an unintended impact on the Moon's far side in April 1962 due to a mission anomaly.
  3. Unintended Descents: Notable Accidental Lunar Impacts: Beyond planned impacts, accidental collisions include the Surveyor 2 probe in 1966 due to an engine failure, a Chinese Long March 3C rocket body in March 2022, and the recent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage in 2026, all contributing to the Moon's impact history.

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