NASA’s Moon-mapping scout in polar orbit
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage has struck the Moon near Einstein Crater at about 5,400 mph, carving a new crater and launching a dust plume. South Korea’s Danuri orbiter has photographed the site and released images. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to image the impact next week while scientists begin analysing ejecta and crater formation.
AP, Independent and Ars Technica recount Apollo 11 relics tied to the 1969 lunar mission. A broken circuit-breaker switch and a felt-tip pen helped Armstrong and Aldrin escape the Moon’s surface; bidders have paid nearly $1 million for the items that helped the mission return home.