New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- A spent stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is believed to have crashed into the Moon, creating a new crater near the Einstein crater. Scientists say the unexpected impact offers a rare chance to study how collisions affect the lunar surface and could help improve future Moon missions.

The rocket's upper stage, travelling at around 5,400mph (8,700km/h), was expected to hit the Moon on Wednesday after spending about 18 months drifting through space.

The Falcon 9 rocket was launched from Florida in January last year, carrying two lunar landers into space. After successfully sending the landers towards the Moon, the rocket's upper stage had completed its task. The empty section, roughly the size of a five-storey building...