A half-ton Soviet spacecraft, launched in 1972 and intended for Venus, is set to re-enter Earth's atmosphere this weekend. Despite potential damage, experts believe it's unlikely to harm any populated areas.
The odds of it slamming into a populated area are “infinitesimally small,” said University of Colorado Boulder scientist Marcin Pilinski.A half-ton Soviet spacecraft that never made it to Venus 53 years ago is expected to fall back to Earth this weekend.
Built to land on the solar system's hottest planet, the titanium-covered spacecraft may survive its fiery, uncontrolled plunge through Earth's atmosphere, predicted to occur on Saturday. But experts said it likely would come down over water, covering most of the world, or a desolate region.The odds of it slamming into a populated area are “infinitesimally small,” said University of Colorado Boulder scientist Marcin Pilinski.“While we can anticipate that most of this object will not burn up in the atmosphere during reentry, it may be severely damaged on impact," Pilinski said in an email. By Friday, all indications pointed to a reentry early Saturday morning, U.S. Eastern Time, give or take several hours. While space debris trackers around the world converged in their forecasts, it was still too soon to know exactly when and where the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 would come down. That uncertainty was due to potential solar activity and the spacecraft’s old condition. Its parachutes were expected to be useless by now and its batteries long dead. Dutch scientist Marco Langbroek estimated the impact speed at 150 mph if the spacecraft remains intact. The Soviets launched Kosmos 482 in 1972, intending to send it to Venus to join other spacecraft in their Venera program. But a rocket malfunction left this one stuck in orbit around Earth. Gravity kept tugging on it and was expected to finally cause its doom. Spherical in shape, the spacecraft — 3-foot across and packing more than 1,000 pounds — will be the last piece of Kosmos 482 to fall from the sky. All the other parts plummeted within a decade.Crime and Courts
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A half-ton Soviet spacecraft is about to crash into Earth, but don't panicDenise Chow is a science and space reporter for NBC News.
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Soviet-era spacecraft is expected to plummet to Earth this weekend after 53 yearsA half-ton spacecraft launched by the Soviet Union 53 years ago is expected to fall back to Earth this weekend
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Soviet-era spacecraft is expected to plummet to Earth this weekend after 53 yearsA half-ton spacecraft launched by the Soviet Union 53 years ago is expected to fall back to Earth this weekend. Built to land on Venus, the titanium-covered spacecraft might survive its fiery, uncontrolled plunge through the atmosphere. Space debris trackers are converging in their forecasts, now anticipating a Saturday reentry.
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Soviet-era spacecraft is expected to plummet to Earth this weekend after 53 yearsA half-ton spacecraft launched by the Soviet Union 53 years ago is expected to fall back to Earth this weekend.
Read more »
Soviet-era spacecraft is expected to plummet to Earth this weekend after 53 yearsA half-ton Soviet spacecraft that never made it to Venus 53 years ago is expected to fall back to Earth this weekend.
Read more »
50-year-old Soviet spacecraft expected to crash on Earth this weekendThe Soviet spacecraft Kosmos-482 was launched in 1972 on a mission to Venus. But due to a rocket malfunction, it's been hurtling back towards Earth in an elliptical orbit for the past 53 years.
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