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11-05-2025
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Soviet-era Kosmos 482 Spacecraft Reenters Earth's Atmosphere

Date: 11-05-2025
Sources: bbc.com: 1 | cbsnews.com: 1 | news.sky.com: 1
Image for cluster 4
Image Source:

Source: cbsnews.com

Image content: The image depicts a celestial body, specifically the COSMOS 482 DESCENT CRAFT #6073, as indicated by the orange text. The main subject is a small white dot surrounded by an orange square, situated within a black background featuring numerous gray streaks. These streaks are likely stars or other celestial objects captured in the image.

Summary

The Kosmos 482 spacecraft, launched in 1972 to explore Venus, likely reentered Earth's atmosphere after 53 years in orbit due to a rocket malfunction. The European Space Agency and EU Space Surveillance confirmed the uncontrolled reentry, but the exact location and amount of surviving debris are unknown.

Key Points

  • Kosmos 482 broke into four pieces after failing to leave Earth's orbit, with one fragment believed to be the lander
  • The titanium-encased lander, estimated to be 3 feet across and over 1,000 pounds, may have survived reentry due to its heat protection
  • Predictions suggest the spacecraft reentered the atmosphere over southern England, but the exact location and extent of surviving debris are still being investigated

Articles in this Cluster

Kosmos 482: Soviet-era spacecraft 'likely' to have re-entered Earth's atmosphereBritish Broadcasting CorporationBritish Broadcasting Corporation

11-05-2025

The European Space Agency believes a fragment of the Soviet-era Kosmos 482 spacecraft, launched in 1972 to explore Venus, likely re-entered Earth's atmosphere on Saturday. The spacecraft broke into four pieces after failing to leave Earth's orbit and one fragment, believed to be the lander, probably re-entered the atmosphere, although its exact location and whether it survived the descent are unknown. Experts say the risk of damage is low, and it is more likely to have burned up or fallen into the ocean, which covers 70% of the Earth's surface.

Soviet-era spacecraft plunges back to Earth after 53 years stuck in orbit - CBS News

11-05-2025

A Soviet-era spacecraft, Kosmos 482, launched in 1972 to explore Venus, reentered Earth's atmosphere after 53 years in orbit due to a rocket malfunction. The European Space Agency and EU Space Surveillance confirmed the uncontrolled reentry, but the exact location of the crash and the amount of debris that survived the descent are unknown. The spacecraft's titanium-encased lander, estimated to be 3 feet across and over 1,000 pounds, was designed to withstand a Venus landing, increasing the likelihood of it surviving reentry, although the chances of it hitting anyone are extremely low.

Half-tonne piece of Soviet rocket may have crashed through atmosphere over south of England | Science, Climate & Tech News | Sky News

11-05-2025

A half-tonne piece of a Soviet rocket, Cosmos 482, which was intended to reach Venus but became trapped in orbit in 1972, may have crashed through the atmosphere over southern England on Saturday morning. Scientists are still trying to pinpoint its location and determine how much of the rocket survived the descent. The European Space Agency and EU Space Surveillance and Tracking have made various predictions about the re-entry, with one organisation suggesting it decayed over southern England between 7am and 8:30am. The rocket's heat-protected capsule, weighing around half a tonne and measuring three feet across, was expected to potentially survive re-entry, but it's unclear if it hit the ground or broke up in the atmosphere.