--- title: "Experts Say China Is Probably Lying About the Rocket Crashing Into the Moon" description: "It appears that nobody knows exactly what is going on with that rocket that's set to crash into the Moon." date: "2022-02-24" modified: "2022-02-24" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/experts-china-lying-moon-rocket" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" tags: - "china" - "space" - "the digest" - "the moon" --- # Experts Say China Is Probably Lying About the Rocket Crashing Into the Moon ![It appears that nobody knows exactly what is going on with that rocket that's set to crash into the moon.]() *\Image: NASA/Futurism\* ## Moon Pie It appears that nobody knows exactly what the hell is going on with that [rocket that's set to crash into the Moon](). The debacle began in January when [Project Pluto's Bill Gray observed]() a rocket-shaped object that looked to be on a crash course with the Moon. Gray initially [identified the object]() as a derelict SpaceX rocket — which predictably [caught the Elon Musk-run company a ton of flak]() — but a few weeks ago he course-corrected and said that actually, it [looks more like a Chinese Chang’e 5-T1 booster]() from the country's 2014 lunar mission. China rebutted the claim, [saying in a statement]() that the mission "burnt up completely" when re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. But now Gray's doubling down, [saying in another post]() on Project Pluto's website that he's "persuaded," based on a bunch of complicated orbital equations paired with his initial observations, that the object is indeed a Chang'e 5-T1 rocket booster. ## Not Alone Gray isn't alone in that assertion. In [an interview with *SpaceNews*](), University of Arizona associate professor Vishnu Reddy, co-leader of the school's Space Domain Awareness lab that did its own spectral analysis of the object, said that his group also believes the rocket belongs to China. "We took a spectrum and compared it with Chinese and SpaceX rockets of similar types, and it matches the Chinese rocket," Reddy told *SpaceNews*. "This is the best match, and we have the best possible evidence at this point." Though there's still some debate about when exactly this mysterious object will crash into the Moon, Gray maintains that his calculations show it making impact on March 4, 2022 — which means that, regardless of who the rocket belongs to, it's soon gonna be everyone's problem. **READ MORE:** [Moon-bound rocket stage still most likely from 2014 Chang’e mission, despite China’s denial]() \[*SpaceNews*\] **More China/SpaceX rivalry:** *[China's New Rocket Concept Looks Suspiciously Like SpaceX's Starship]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()