(NewsNation) — A SpaceX rocket is on a high-speed collision course with the lunar surface, and it could provide NASA with some key data for its future lunar base.

"This is one small crash for SpaceX, potentially one giant leap for lunar science," former NASA Associate Administrator Mike Gold told NewsNation's Hena Doba on Sunday.

The Falcon 9 rocket is set to crash into the near side of the moon on Wednesday, giving astronomers insight into how space junk could affect astronaut safety when humans eventually build lunar bases.

"When the SpaceX upper stage crashes in," Gold said, "we'll learn a lot about what happens when objects hit the moon and how far away we need to be for safety. …And what we learn from this incident on Wednesday night will be important for making sure those astronauts and the moon base is safe."

The discarded rocket launched a pair of lunar landers back in 2025 before they were abandoned. It weighs thousands of pounds and will be traveling at 5,400 miles per hour at the time of impact. It is expected to strike the lunar surface with a force equivalent to three tons of TNT.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for citizen science," noted Gold, as the crash will happen on the side that faces Earth. "Maybe even [with] a strong pair of binoculars, you might be able to see some of this. So great time to get the kids out. Everyone should see this."

This isn't the first time a dead rocket has hit the lunar surface. A Chinese rocket dug out a pair of craters on the far side of the moon in 2022.

NewsNation's Michael Ramsey contributed to this article.

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