Washington, 15 Feb (ONA) --- After initial reports about the impending impact of a SpaceX rocket on the moon, NASA has offered a correction: A new analysis shows that the debris due to crash into our nearest neighbour is probably part of an old Chinese rocket.

It is likely a Chang'e 5-T1 booster that was launched into space from Earth in 2014.

NASA concluded this from orbits of the object in 2016 and 2017, dpa has learned.

The impact on the far side of the moon is expected on 4 March.

Earlier, the US space agency said it expected an errant Falcon 9 rocket stage from SpaceX's could collide with the moon next month.

The rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral in 2015, but there was not enough fuel in the stage to get it back to Earth, so it has been floating in space ever since.

---Ends/Thuraiya/AH