Soviet Spacecraft Kosmos 482 Poised for Re-Entry: What You Need to Know Ahead of Friday Night’s Crash

A Soviet spacecraft that aimed to land softly on Venus is set to fall back to Earth soon. Known as Cosmos 482, this capsule launched in March 1972, but it failed to reach its intended orbit for Venus. Instead, it has circled Earth for decades.

Experts have been tracking Cosmos 482 as it descended gradually due to Earth’s atmospheric drag. It’s now expected to re-enter the atmosphere overnight, between 10 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. ET. Predictions come from various organizations, including the European Space Agency and the Aerospace Corporation.

Determining the exact time and location of such events can be tricky, with factors like space weather affecting the descent. Fortunately, Cosmos 482 poses little risk to people on the ground. Marlon Sorge, an expert with The Aerospace Corporation, points out that since the craft was designed to survive the harsh conditions of Venus, it likely will return intact.

Other space debris often breaks apart when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere due to high speeds. However, Cosmos 482 has a robust heat shield, making it more likely to touch down without disintegrating. It was built to endure the dense atmosphere of Venus, which is 90 times thicker than Earth’s.

This mission was part of a groundbreaking program by the Soviet Union called Venera. Launched during the intense space race of the 20th century, several Venera probes successfully transmitted data back to Earth. Among these, only one of two launched in 1972 actually landed on Venus, making Cosmos 482 an intriguing object of study.

The trajectory of its descent suggests it could land in a vast area, potentially hitting parts of Africa, South America, Australia, or even the USA. Marco Langbroek, a space traffic expert at Delft Technical University, emphasized the need for caution. If it does land, it might leak hazardous materials, so keeping a safe distance would be wise.

Interestingly, according to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, Russia retains ownership of the capsule, even after all these years. The discovery of old space objects returning to Earth is becoming more commonplace as defunct satellites re-enter our atmosphere.

With the rise of commercial space exploration, including companies like SpaceX launching hundreds of satellites yearly, the need for regulation is increasingly urgent. The potential for orbital collisions, as well as uncontrolled descents like that of Cosmos 482, poses new challenges. Parker Wishik of The Aerospace Corporation notes that, while safety standards have improved, incidents like this serve as reminders that what goes up must come down, sometimes unpredictably.

As we keep an eye on Cosmos 482, the ongoing developments in space exploration remind us of the delicate balance between innovation and safety in our skies.

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