Overview

• Kosmos 482, launched in 1972 as part of the Soviet Venera program, failed to leave Earth orbit due to a premature engine cutoff during its Venus mission.
• The spacecraft’s descent module, weighing approximately 495 kg, was designed to endure Venus’s harsh atmosphere, increasing the likelihood of debris surviving reentry.
• Tracking organizations, including the Aerospace Corporation and SatTrackCam Leiden, are closely monitoring the spacecraft's trajectory as reentry predictions refine.
• The reentry zone spans between 52°N and 52°S latitudes, covering a wide range of populated and unpopulated areas, with most debris statistically expected to fall into oceans or remote regions.
• No official statements have been issued by Russian authorities, and the exact timing and location of reentry remain uncertain due to variables such as heightened solar activity affecting atmospheric drag.