Overview

• Kosmos 482, launched in 1972 as part of the Soviet Union's Venera program, failed to reach Venus due to a rocket malfunction and remained in Earth orbit for over five decades.
• The spacecraft's uncontrolled reentry into Earth's atmosphere was confirmed by Roscosmos and EU space-surveillance agencies, with descent tracked west of Jakarta in the Indian Ocean.
• The 495 kg titanium-encased lander, designed to survive Venus' extreme conditions, was the final component to reenter, though its survivability is still unclear.
• No injuries or damage were reported from the reentry, with experts emphasizing the extremely low odds of harm from space debris.
• Under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, any recovered fragments of Kosmos 482 remain the property of Russia, highlighting ongoing legal and safety challenges in space debris management.