A decades-old Soviet spacecraft, Cosmos 482, is expected to make a dramatic return to Earth this week after more than 50 years in orbit, following its failed mission to Venus in 1972.
According to NASA, the spacecraft is projected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere between May 7 and May 13, with May 10 being the most likely date for its descent.
Originally intended to reach Venus, Cosmos 482 failed to break free from low Earth orbit after launch. Due to its design—built to endure the harsh conditions of Venus’ atmosphere—NASA says some components may survive reentry and reach Earth’s surface.
Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, told NPR the probe is in its “final death plunge.” While the chances of injury are very low, McDowell noted there’s a small risk: “There’s a not-trivial chance that it could hit somewhere where it damages property, and there’s a small chance − maybe 1 in thousands − that it could hurt someone.”
What Is Cosmos 482?
The “Cosmos” (or “Kosmos”) designation was commonly used by the Soviet Union for spacecraft that stayed in Earth orbit—regardless of their intended mission—starting from 1962.
NASA and other sources believe Cosmos 482 was meant for Venus, launched just four days after the successful Venera 8 mission, and sharing an identical design.
Soviet interplanetary missions typically entered Earth orbit first as a staging point. Once in orbit, the spacecraft would ignite its main engine for about four minutes to set course for its planetary target.
In the case of Cosmos 482, the spacecraft broke into four parts, two of which quickly reentered the atmosphere and burned up within 48 hours. The remaining pieces stayed in a higher orbit. NASA says a malfunction during the engine burn prevented the craft from reaching escape velocity, ultimately trapping it in Earth’s orbit.
Now, over half a century later, this relic of the Cold War space race is finally set to return home.