Following their earnings call on Tuesday that left the industry baffled, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is bracing for a head-on collision of its Falcon 9 rocket with the moon. The rocket, launched 18 months ago, unintentionally altered its course and was headed for the moon.
Parts of the vessel have already been shed in space. Now, only the upper stage of the Falcon 9 is on its way to the moon. Experts predict that the impact of the collision will be the same as that of a blast from an explosive with three tons of TNT.
This unusual event in space, involving Elon Musk’s company, has sparked a lot of buzz on social media. A space-tracking expert, Bill Gray, told Sky News that the crash is expected to take place at an impact speed of 5,400mph. For context, it is seven times the speed of sound.
The crash, the first of its kind, is expected to produce a dramatic explosion. Many across the world are excited to watch the event unfold live.
Also read: SpaceX earnings: Big questions investors want Elon Musk to answer on AI, Starlink, stock and Tesla
When Will The Crash Take Place?
According to SpaceX, the crash is expected to take place early on Wednesday morning (late on Tuesday evening in some places), around 2.35am EDT. However, the company has not revealed the exact time to the minute when the crash will take place. Below is when you should get ready to watch the crash tonight.
When To Watch SpaceX Crash Across US Time Zones
If you want to watch the moon crash live, a window of 30-40 minutes is required, as the exact time when the crash will take place is unclear. Given the approximate time of 2:35am EDT, it is safe to tune in 10 to 15 minutes early, around 2:20am EDT.
Experts estimate that the impact of the crash will last for about 10 minutes. Thus, the window to view it is quite slim. The safest time to catch the crash are as follows:
EDT: 2:20am to 2:50am
CDT: 1:20am to 1:50am
MDT: 12:20am to 12:50am
PDT: 11:20pm to 11:50pm (Tuesday)
AKDT: 10:20pm to 10:50pm (Tuesday)
HST: 8:20pm to 8:50pm (Tuesday)
Meanwhile, NASA spokesperson Jimi Russell has said that the crash will have no impact on Earth.
Also read: SpaceX rocket to hit the Moon? Date, impact details and why experts are tracking it
How To Watch The SpaceX Moon Crash Live?
SpaceX is expected to live stream the event as it happens on their X account. The company usually livestreams all major launches and space-related events. Those interested can watch it by tuning into SpaceX’s X account at the aforementioned time.
There is also a lot of excitement to watch the event unfold using a telescope. AccuWeather reports, citing researchers, that the “impact flash may last less than a second.” Additionally, it will “occur against the illuminated portion of the moon, making it much harder to detect,” making it harder to see with the naked eye or amateur telescopes. However, a high-end telescope will be able to record it easily.
