The Kosmos 482 spacecraft, launched by the Soviet Union in 1972 to be sent to Venus but unable to complete its mission, is returning to Earth after 53 years. The vehicle will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere in an uncontrolled manner in the coming weeks.

Soviet spacecraft returns to Earth

Kosmos 482 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 31, 1972. The mission was part of the Soviet Union’s goal of reaching Venus. However, the vehicle could not reach the speed required to reach orbit due to a malfunction in the engine system.

Therefore, the mission failed and the vehicle remained in Earth orbit. The mission’s carrier module soon disintegrated and burned as it entered the atmosphere. However, the mission’s descent module continued to remain in orbit for years due to its high durability.

The spacecraft, which weighs approximately 500 kilograms, has a very robust structure, especially the descent capsule. This capsule was manufactured to withstand extreme conditions such as the Venusian atmosphere. Experts say that Kosmos 482 will enter the atmosphere without completely burning up, and some of its parts may reach the surface.

Dutch satellite observer Marco Langbroek expects Kosmos 482 to enter the Earth’s atmosphere in the second week of May. However, due to the Sun’s current high activity period, the atmosphere is expanding, which could cause objects in orbit to enter the atmosphere earlier.

Therefore, the exact time of entry is constantly updated due to solar activity and orbital changes. So what do you think about this? You can share your views with us in the comments section below.