SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage expected to crash into moon August 5 at 2:35 AM ET near Einstein Crater. Observable from Earth with ground-based telescopes. Bill Gray, creator of Project Pluto, predicted impact after analyzing rocket's orbit.

Stage from Firefly Blue Ghost mission launched January 15, 2025, carrying Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander and ispace's Hakuto-R lander. After deployment, rocket ran out of fuel, drifting since. Upper stage measures 39 feet long, 13 feet wide, weighs 4,000 kilograms, will hit at 5,400 mph.

Gray's paper indicates impact won't be massive due to hollow shell and slower speed versus natural impactors. However, provides rare chance to observe artificial impact in real time, study dust/plume dynamics and space debris hazards.

Impact most visible in complete darkness: South America and low-to-mid latitude North America. Higher moon elevation improves visibility; North America away from West Coast offers best viewing.