The surface of the Moon is littered with defunct hardware from past missions that are now buried amongst the lunar regolith. A recent crash site left a distinct and curious mark, creating two impact craters of equal size. Scientists examining the collision believe that there may have been an undisclosed object that crashed on the Moon, the origins of which will remain a mystery.
On March 4, 2022, a wayward rocket booster slammed onto the Moon’s surface. Prior to impact, it was believed to belong to a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that was left in high orbit in 2015, but further investigation revealed that it was actually a booster launched by China in 2014 as part of its lunar exploration program. That said, the space mystery continued as the booster created two craters upon impact, causing scientists to question what exactly crashed on the Moon that day.
A group of researchers from the University of Arizona had been tracking the object’s trajectory for seven years prior to its unfortunate crash, as well as its impact site on the Moon. In a paper published Thursday in The Planetary Science Journal, researchers analyzed the rocket’s light reflection signature and its movement through space. Based on the observed characteristics, the researchers propose it was indeed a booster from China’s Chang’e 5-T1 mission, but one carrying a mystery payload that also met its demise on the lunar surface.
Hellbound and Down 