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5d ago

Kosmos 482 Reenters After 53 Years, Splashdown Location Unconfirmed

The Soviet-era Venus probe reentered Earth's atmosphere on May 10, with Roscosmos reporting an Indian Ocean splashdown, but debris recovery and exact timing remain unresolved.

Cosmos 482’s mission was to land on the surface of Venus. Instead, it fell back to Earth more than a half-century after it launched. Credit: NASA/JPL
Image
A Soviet Venera-4 model, similar to the lost Kosmos 482 landing capsule, is on display at a museum.
Soviet Venus probe may reenter Earth around May 10, 2025

Overview

  • Kosmos 482, a Soviet Venus lander launched in 1972, reentered Earth's atmosphere on May 10, 2025, after 53 years in orbit.
  • Roscosmos reported the probe's splashdown approximately 560 km west of Middle Andaman Island in the Indian Ocean, but no debris has been recovered to confirm this.
  • Conflicting reentry timing estimates were provided, with Roscosmos citing 2:24 a.m. ET, ESA reporting 2:16 a.m. ET, and the U.S. Space Force estimating a window between 1:20 a.m. and 1:44 a.m. ET.
  • Experts suggest the probe likely survived reentry intact due to its Venus-grade heat-resistant design, though its final condition remains unverified.
  • This event highlights challenges in tracking aging spacecraft and underscores growing concerns about uncontrolled reentries and space debris management.