Explained in plain English
Why hit the moon?
The SpaceX rocket was actually a spent upper stage, left over from a mission to launch a satellite. It wasn't deliberately aimed at the moon, but rather followed an uncontrolled trajectory after completing its primary task. This accidental impact, however, offers a rare chance to study how objects interact with the lunar surface.
Stories that explain this
Telescope spots sodium and lithium plume after SpaceX rocket hits moonThis explainer came from a news story
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