US EditionOld Soviet Venus lander's fall to Earth will be no ordinary space junk crash. Here's why
- The Soviet-era spacecraft Kosmos 482, a Venus lander, is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere around May 10, 2025, after more than 50 years in orbit.
- Kosmos 482 failed to reach Venus due to an upper stage rocket malfunction, which left it stuck in an elliptical Earth orbit since its launch in 1972.
- The 1-meter-wide, 495-kilogram lander was designed to survive Venus’s harsh atmosphere and could withstand reentry heating, but the parachute system likely no longer works after 53 years in space.
- Marco Langbroek, a space situational awareness lecturer, stated the lander will probably reach Earth's surface as a single object, striking at about 150 mph, with risks lower than those from typical Falcon 9 reentries.
- Kosmos 482’s reentry zone spans between 52° north and 52° south latitude, covering most populated continents and oceans, but experts say the chance of impact in a populated area remains very low.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Russian space probe Kosmos 482 hurtling toward Earth not the only danger from space: special cemetery must end the threat
Around Saturday, May 10, the Russian space probe Kosmos 482 will pass through the atmosphere and crash to Earth. The 500-kilo capsule is uncontrollable. More debris is floating through space and that is not without danger, but new agreements mean that no more waste should be added.
Time Magazine
khbrknewsWhat to Know About the Soviet Spacecraft Plunging to Earth
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Time was, the Soviet Union fairly owned Venus. From 1961 to 1983, the U.S.’s old space race rival launched 16 probes, Venera 1 through Venera 16, that either flew by, orbited, or landed on Venus—with three of them failing en route. It’s been decades since the Russians bothered with Venus, but this week, an artifact from that long-ago space program may very well bother us: Sometime between May 9 and May 11, an 1,1…
Satellite could be hours away from crashing back on Earth after 53 years
The satellite could crash to the ground in the next few days (Picture: Getty Images) A Soviet satellite once bound for Venus could be about to crash back down to earth after more than half a century in space. The Kosmos 482 Descent Craft has been floating around in outer space for more than 50 years, stuck in Earth’s orbit – but it could return home by the end of this week. It’s estimated the craft will descend through the atmosphere at some poi…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
