Soviet Kosmos 482 spacecraft crashes into an unknown site on Earth
Share this @internewscast.com

A Soviet spacecraft launched in 1972 on a failed mission to Venus is believed to have crashed back onto Earth early on Saturday morning.

The European Space Agency, tasked with tracking the spacecraft’s uncontrolled fall, reported that its last radar detection of the craft was over Germany. By the expected crash time, radar had lost track of Kosmos 482, leading to the conclusion that “reentry is most likely to have already happened.”

No injuries or damage have been reported.

Kosmos 482 was a part of the USSR’s Venera program, a mission series aimed at exploring Venus. Out of these missions, ten successfully reached and landed on the scorched, desolate planet. However, the launch of Kosmos 482 faced a malfunction, trapping the upper stage carrying the descent module in Earth’s orbit.

For fifty-three years, the nearly three-foot wide, 1,069-pound spacecraft continued to revolve around Earth in a shrinking elliptical orbit until it finally descended into the planet’s atmosphere.

It’s not unusual for space junk to fall back to earth. More than 2,400 human-made objects fell from space in 2022, a record number, according to ESA. The vast majority of them burned up in Earth’s atmosphere, and most of those that didn’t splashed into an ocean.

But Kosmos 482 was built to withstand a descent through Venus’ dense atmosphere, and to operate on the planet’s surface, where the mean temperature is 867 degrees Fahrenheit (464 C). That meant it was theoretically hardy enough to survive a comparatively easy re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere.

There’s no record of space debris ever causing a human fatality. “The risk of any satellite reentry causing injury is extremely remote,” ESA officials wrote in a blog post about Kosmos-482. “The annual risk of an individual human being injured by space debris is under 1 in 100 billion. In comparison, a person is about 65,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning.”

On Friday, the U.S. Space Force forecasted that the spacecraft would re-enter the atmosphere at 1:52 a.m. ET on Saturday morning above the Pacific Ocean, west of Guam.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Health Concerns Ignite Community Outrage at Dunnellon City Hall After Railroad Tie Fire

DUNNELLON, Fla. – Concerned residents gathered at Dunnellon City Hall Monday night…

Johnson City Crews Swiftly Address Overnight 6-Inch Water Main Break on N Roan Street

In Johnson City, Tennessee, public works teams successfully wrapped up the repair…

Tragedy in Eastern Congo: Over 200 Miners Perish in Devastating Landslide – Key Facts and Updates

DAKAR – A tragic landslide at a major coltan mine in eastern…

Prince Andrew Unlikely to Face Further Questioning in Epstein Case

LONDON – Six years ago, Former Prince Andrew’s reputation took a massive…

Coast Guard Launches Investigation into Tragic Fishing Boat Sinking, Identifies 7 Victims

BOSTON – On Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the identities of…

Diarra Propels Sunderland to Commanding Victory Over Burnley

SUNDERLAND – Habib Diarra’s standout performance in the first half propelled Sunderland…

Latest Road Condition Updates from Unicoi & Carter Co. Highway Departments: What You Need to Know

UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Following a weekend of winter storms, the…

Empowering Futures: Historic Black Fraternity Introduces Speed Mentoring to Close Opportunity Gap for Young Men

ORLANDO, Fla. – A pioneering mentorship initiative is being launched by a…

Alert: Hazardous Smoke from Major Railroad Tie Fire in Dunnellon

DUNNELLON, Fla. – On Sunday, a significant blaze erupted in Marion County…

Mayor Criticizes NES Officials for Slow Power Restoration, Asserting “Nashvillians Deserve Better

In a recent statement, Mayor Freddie O’Connell expressed his dissatisfaction with Nashville…

Submit Your Nominations: Celebrate Inspiring Women at YWCA’s Annual Tribute Event

The YWCA of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia is calling for nominations…

Russell County Auto Theft: Man Charged in Major Breakthrough Investigation

LEBANON, Va. (WJHL) — The Russell County Sheriff’s Office has apprehended a…