Soviet space probe will enter the ground after half a century in orbit

A failure that caused the premature off of his engine prevented him from leaving the earth’s orbit.

The Soviet spacecraft 482 is expected to return to Earth in a week and a half. Photo: Gizmodo/File.

May 3, 2025 Time: 06:00

The Soviet spacecraft Cosmos 482, launched in 1972, is ready to return to the Earth In approximately a week and a half, after more than 50 years in land orbit due to technical problems.

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The cosmos descent module 482, which It was launched by the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) on March 31, 1972prepares to re -enter the Earth’s atmosphere.

According to The most recent calculations, its return is scheduled for around May 10, 2025with a margin of error of almost three days, which means that it could happen between May 7 and 13.

Cosmos 482 was a probe designed to land in Venus as part of the Venu programS, but a failure that caused the premature shutdown of his engine prevented him from leaving the terrestrial orbit. Since then, the device has been orbiting our planet for more than five decades.

The descent module, which weighs approximately 495 kilograms, was Built with highly resistant materials that are capable of supporting the reentry to Venus’s atmosphere.

For this reason, it is very likely that some fragments or even The entire vehicle manages to survive the entrance to the Earth’s atmosphere and reach the surface of the planet.

The exact place of the impact of the spaceship is still unknown; However, it has been indicated that it could enter any point between latitudes 52 degrees north and 52 degrees south, with a greater probability of falling into the ocean, according to the information provided by the Caribbean Astronomy Society.