After 50 years in orbit, the Soviet-era spacecraft Kosmos 482 is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere this weekend, with minimal threat to populated areas.
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| Kosmos 482, a failed Soviet Venus probe from 1972, is falling back to Earth after 50 years in orbit, likely landing in an ocean with minimal risk to humans. Image: Kosmos 482 |
MOSCOW, Russia — May 10, 2025:
A Soviet spacecraft launched over five decades ago, Kosmos 482, is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere this weekend, marking the end of an extended orbital journey that began with a failed Venus mission in 1972.
Originally part of the Soviet Union’s Venera program, Kosmos 482 was intended to land on Venus, but a rocket malfunction left it stranded in low Earth orbit. Weighing nearly 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) and built with a titanium shell designed to endure Venus’ extreme heat, the spacecraft has remained in space since its launch on March 31, 1972.
Experts predict that the spacecraft will descend early Saturday, U.S. Eastern Time, with a high probability of landing in an uninhabited area or one of Earth’s oceans. While it is unlikely to pose a danger to human life, some fragments may survive reentry due to the spacecraft's durable construction.
"The chances of it hitting a populated region are incredibly small," said Marcin Pilinski, a space scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, as reported by the Associated Press.
The spacecraft’s batteries are long dead, and its parachutes are no longer functional, further complicating accurate predictions of its final descent point. Solar activity and the spacecraft’s degraded condition contribute to this uncertainty.
Marco Langbroek, a Dutch satellite expert, estimates that if the main body of Kosmos 482 remains intact, it could hit the Earth at around 150 mph (242 kph). Any surviving fragments will legally belong to Russia, under the terms of a United Nations space treaty.
Kosmos 482’s spherical descent module, measuring approximately 1 meter (3 feet) across, is the final piece of the spacecraft still in orbit. Other components fell back to Earth within the first decade of its mission failure.
Despite its failed objective, Kosmos 482 has become an unintended symbol of Cold War space exploration, surviving in Earth’s orbit for half a century. Its imminent return highlights the long-lasting presence of space debris and the enduring legacy of early interplanetary missions.