Soviet Spacecraft Kosmos 482 Could Crash to Earth

Soviet Spacecraft Kosmos 482's Iminent Earth Re-entry

Soviet Spacecraft Kosmos 482 Could Crash to Earth

After more than 50 years orbiting our planet, the defunct Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 is expected to make an uncontrolled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Experts are predicting a potential crash landing sometime overnight, but pinpointing the exact time and location remains a challenge.

When and Where Will it Land?

Initial predictions from the European Space Agency (ESA) suggested a re-entry around 2:26 a.m. EDT on May 10th, 2025, with a margin of error of approximately 4.35 hours. This means the re-entry could occur anytime between 10 p.m. EDT on May 9th and 7 a.m. EDT on May 10th. Kayhan Space, a Colorado-based space technology company, provides a more narrowed-down prediction, but the uncertainty inherent in atmospheric drag makes precise predictions difficult.

Because of this uncertainty, the potential landing zone is vast, spanning between 52 degrees north and 52 degrees south latitude. This includes a large portion of the Earth's populated areas, though the probability of it landing in the ocean is high given the relative size of the oceans. The exact impact location will only be known hours before the event.

What is Kosmos 482?

Kosmos 482 was launched in 1972 as part of the Soviet Venera program aimed at exploring Venus. Due to a launch malfunction, it failed to reach its target and instead became trapped in an elliptical orbit around Earth. Recent satellite images hint at a deployed parachute, though this has not been confirmed.

Designed to withstand the intense heat of entering the Venusian atmosphere, Kosmos 482 is expected to partially survive re-entry and possibly reach the Earth's surface in pieces.

The Growing Problem of Space Debris

The re-entry of Kosmos 482 highlights the escalating issue of space debris. According to the ESA, there are over 1.2 million pieces of space junk larger than 1 centimeter orbiting Earth. Uncontrolled re-entries are becoming increasingly frequent, posing a potential threat to both people and infrastructure. This underscores the urgent need for better end-of-life management for satellites and investment in space debris removal technologies.

Learn more about space debris from the ESA or NASA.

About the Author

This article was written by [Brandon Specktor's Bio from the original article]

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