Historic 53-Year-Old Soviet Spacecraft Set to Plummet Back to Earth This Week – What You Need to Know!

Kosmos 482 has been circling Earth for over 53 years, but its time in orbit is coming to an end. This Soviet-era spacecraft, which originally aimed for Venus, is set to reenter the atmosphere between May 8 and 12. When it does, it may either stay intact or break apart, scattering debris across an unexplained area near the equator.

The precise landing spot remains uncertain. The spacecraft’s descent path covers a wide range, possibly impacting regions across the United States, South America, Africa, and Australia, as well as parts of Europe and Asia south of the Arctic Circle. As it gets closer to reentry, experts like Marco Langbroek, a satellite tracker in the Netherlands, expect more updates on its exact trajectory.

Kosmos 482 was launched on March 31, 1972, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The mission to Venus faced troubles, with a malfunction preventing it from gaining enough speed to break free from Earth’s grasp. Instead, it found itself stuck in an elliptical orbit nearly 130 miles high.

Astrophotographer Ralf Vandebergh recently shared images of the spacecraft, suggesting it may have deployed a parachute. “It’s still speculative,” Vandebergh noted, mentioning he first noticed this in 2014. However, the parachute’s effectiveness is questionable since it’s been exposed to space for so long.

After its initial launch, Kosmos 482 broke apart, with two fragments reentering over New Zealand shortly after. The remaining parts include a carrier bus and a lander probe, together weighing over 1,000 pounds.

As for what might survive reentry, Langbroek thinks the lander could withstand the heat, potentially impacting Earth at speeds of about 150 miles per hour. This speed is similar to that of a small meteorite. Given that much of Earth is covered by water, it’s likely that the spacecraft could end up in the ocean, but there’s still a chance it could hit land.

This event has captured the attention of space enthusiasts and casual observers alike, sparking discussions on social media about the fate of Kosmos 482. Recent statistics show that interest in space debris has grown, with Google Trends reporting a spike in searches related to reentry events. People are both excited and concerned about what might happen when spacecraft like Kosmos 482 return to Earth.

For more information on space missions and reentry events, you can check out NASA’s detailed updates here.

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