Leonard David

"If this is successful, it will ignite the reality of space on the African continent."

"Watching this one gives us a rare chance to open up ejecta-plume science and calibrate those models against a real event, which matters for every future thing we deliver to the moon."

"The best strategy is prevention first. Keep as much dust as possible outside the habitat, remove it quickly when it gets in, monitor airborne particles, and design the system so crews are not relying on medical countermeasures after exposure."

"While this isn't a major threat to isolated missions today, as we establish permanent lunar infrastructure, high-velocity ejecta poses a genuine hazard to surface habitats, solar arrays and working astronauts."

"The biggest thing that this mission has given us is an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I think we've got to figure out how to keep this going."

"I know that there's disappointment relative to perhaps the nature of what's being released. But you have to understand the bureaucratic process. It's what can be done immediately."

The newly formed crater is about 60 feet (18 meters) wide. NASA's veteran moon-circling spacecraft, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), has imaged the impact site of that errant Falcon 9 upper stage.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has successfully imaged the impact site of the Falcon 9 upper stage that collided with the moon on August 5.

"Chang'e-7 is the most ambitious, comprehensive, and complex robotic lunar mission ever attempted by any nation or entity."

"The most likely outcome is that any surviving debris will land in the sea, but there is a chance it could impact a built-up area and cause a casualty."