SpaceX (Vol. 2)
Discussion
Have to laugh at people being concerned about 'littering' the Moon after a spent stage impacted
The Moon is hit by about 10 to 1,000 tons (9 to 900 metric tons) of space dust and small meteoroids every day.
Because the Moon has no air, even tiny rocks strike the surface directly.
Space dust and micro-meteors: 10 to 1,000 tons of tiny particles hit the Moon daily.
Ping-pong-ball-sized rocks: About 100 hit the Moon every day. Each ping-pong-ball-sized rock hits with the power of 7 pounds (3.2 kg) of dynamite.
The Moon has no air, so everything hits the ground at 20 to 72 kilometers per second.
A few tonnes of aluminium impacting at 5000kph is negligible
The Moon is hit by about 10 to 1,000 tons (9 to 900 metric tons) of space dust and small meteoroids every day.
Because the Moon has no air, even tiny rocks strike the surface directly.
Space dust and micro-meteors: 10 to 1,000 tons of tiny particles hit the Moon daily.
Ping-pong-ball-sized rocks: About 100 hit the Moon every day. Each ping-pong-ball-sized rock hits with the power of 7 pounds (3.2 kg) of dynamite.
The Moon has no air, so everything hits the ground at 20 to 72 kilometers per second.
A few tonnes of aluminium impacting at 5000kph is negligible
MartG said:
Have to laugh at people being concerned about 'littering' the Moon after a spent stage impacted
The Moon is hit by about 10 to 1,000 tons (9 to 900 metric tons) of space dust and small meteoroids every day.
Because the Moon has no air, even tiny rocks strike the surface directly.
Space dust and micro-meteors: 10 to 1,000 tons of tiny particles hit the Moon daily.
Ping-pong-ball-sized rocks: About 100 hit the Moon every day. Each ping-pong-ball-sized rock hits with the power of 7 pounds (3.2 kg) of dynamite.
The Moon has no air, so everything hits the ground at 20 to 72 kilometers per second.
A few tonnes of aluminium impacting at 5000kph is negligible
Neatly explains why there wont be a moonbase anytime soon,and why every apollo mission was as short as possible.The Moon is hit by about 10 to 1,000 tons (9 to 900 metric tons) of space dust and small meteoroids every day.
Because the Moon has no air, even tiny rocks strike the surface directly.
Space dust and micro-meteors: 10 to 1,000 tons of tiny particles hit the Moon daily.
Ping-pong-ball-sized rocks: About 100 hit the Moon every day. Each ping-pong-ball-sized rock hits with the power of 7 pounds (3.2 kg) of dynamite.
The Moon has no air, so everything hits the ground at 20 to 72 kilometers per second.
A few tonnes of aluminium impacting at 5000kph is negligible
Not an issue.
Even though the total tonnage of material deposited on the moon is impressively large, most of it is in the form of micro meteorites. These are a hazard in earth orbit too and are easilly handled by making your spacecraft/moon house/space station/spacesuit durable enough.
The reason why Apollo missions only stayed on the moon a maximum of three days was nothing to do with concerns about meteorites. It was to do with the life span of the spacecraft used - particularly the Lunar Module which, being very light and flimsy, had a limited operational life and had an even more limited amount of consumables on board.
Even though the total tonnage of material deposited on the moon is impressively large, most of it is in the form of micro meteorites. These are a hazard in earth orbit too and are easilly handled by making your spacecraft/moon house/space station/spacesuit durable enough.
The reason why Apollo missions only stayed on the moon a maximum of three days was nothing to do with concerns about meteorites. It was to do with the life span of the spacecraft used - particularly the Lunar Module which, being very light and flimsy, had a limited operational life and had an even more limited amount of consumables on board.
Legmaster said:
Is this new news, where is this info from please, I'm crap at finding new updates on the web?
You tube channel WAI has details, he's quite goodhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=766CN_qg1fE
Edited by Phud on Friday 14th August 20:11
Phud said:
You tube channel WAI has details, he's quite good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=766CN_qg1fE
Eh, he's prone to getting away.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=766CN_qg1fE
Edited by Phud on Friday 14th August 20:11
They'll want a successful soft water landing for Booster v3 before they attempt a catch. They may try a Ship catch though as they seem happy with the soft landings now.
I can't imagine they will go for a booster catch at the same time they try to catch the ship for the first time too? Surely they will drop the booster in the ocean, leaving a clear pad for the incoming ship for its first go. We know they love a risk but that is extreme risk imo!
Either way, it's going to be entertaining
Either way, it's going to be entertaining
I think the paper work they put in mentions a booster catch but I find it hard to believe the will try without a successful soft splash down first.
Pad one in Texas is currently being upgraded to the new version and the chopsticks have just had some bits cut off for replacement! The other complete pad and tower is 39a in Florida but I don't think a booster launched from Texas would have enough cross range capability to get there. Its also still undergoing testing of the chopsticks with the big water bags.
It's still possible, I can't remember who's video I watched but the ship would need a minimum of three or five orbits at ninty minutes each before its orbit would bring it back to a point it could re enter and make it back to the launch tower! Giving them enough time to get the booster on the transport stand and out of the way.
Pad one in Texas is currently being upgraded to the new version and the chopsticks have just had some bits cut off for replacement! The other complete pad and tower is 39a in Florida but I don't think a booster launched from Texas would have enough cross range capability to get there. Its also still undergoing testing of the chopsticks with the big water bags.
It's still possible, I can't remember who's video I watched but the ship would need a minimum of three or five orbits at ninty minutes each before its orbit would bring it back to a point it could re enter and make it back to the launch tower! Giving them enough time to get the booster on the transport stand and out of the way.
Ship 40 is now in a sheltered cove at Christmas island
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-18/space-x-roc...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-18/space-x-roc...
LRO images of the crash site on the Moon - just one more small crater amongst many
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/nasas-l...
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/nasas-l...
Pincher said:
Only a 10 feet deep crater? That surprises me. But I'm no scientist 
Most of the stage would have been vapourised. The crater is created by the dissapation of the enrgy released on impact - which by lunar impact standrads, probably wasn't that great.Not that I'd want to be too close to the impact spot when it was happening.
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