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3h ago

Soviet Venus Probe Kosmos-482 Set for Uncontrolled Reentry Today

The half-ton spacecraft, stranded in Earth's orbit since 1972, is predicted to survive its descent and impact within a broad latitude band.

A replica of the Venera 4, the first probe to transmit data from the atmosphere of another planet., similar to the Kosmos 482 that was launched afterwards and became stuck in Earth's orbit.
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Artist's concept of a satellite reentry similar to Kosmos 482 (Credit: ESA/David Ducross/CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)
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Overview

  • Kosmos-482, launched in 1972 as part of the Soviet Venera program, failed to reach Venus and has been orbiting Earth for over 50 years.
  • The spacecraft is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere early Saturday, with forecasts narrowing the time to around 2:30 a.m. ET, plus or minus several hours.
  • The potential impact zone spans between 52° N and 52° S latitude, covering most of Earth's land and oceans, with the risk to populated areas deemed extremely low.
  • Equipped with a titanium heat shield designed for Venus, the descent craft is highly likely to survive reentry intact and could strike the surface at speeds of up to 150 mph.
  • Under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, any surviving debris remains the legal property and responsibility of the Russian Federation.