A decades-old Soviet spacecraft is set to reenter Earth's atmosphere, raising questions about its landing site

The Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482, launched in 1972 as part of a mission to Venus, is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere between May 7 and 13, with most predictions indicating a landing around May 10. This space probe, which lost its way and has remained in low Earth orbit for over 50 years, underwent a malfunction during its engine burn shortly after its launch, leading to its current orbital predicament. As NASA states, this disarray caused the spacecraft to break into four sections, two of which remained in orbit for some time before eventually falling to Earth. The key concern now is identifying where these remnants will land upon reentry. Experts like Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics suggest that while there is a slim chance of the probe causing damage if it lands in populated areas, it is more likely to splash down in an ocean, given that oceans cover a significant portion of the Earth. The challenge remains that the exact point of impact cannot be predicted until just before reentry. Marco Langbroek from Delft University of Technology notes the vast area that the debris could potentially cover, extending from Canada and Russia down to the southern tip of South America. Kosmos 482 was engineered to withstand the harsh conditions of Venus, a feature that gives some scientists hope it might make it through reentry relatively intact. This situation highlights broader concerns about space debris as the number of objects in low-Earth orbit continues to grow, sparking fears of potential collisions and environmental implications. As the aerospace industry expands—with companies like SpaceX leading satellite launches—scientists warn of the escalating risks associated with space junk. Overall, while the reentry of Kosmos 482 is intriguing, it serves as a reminder of the consequences of decades of space exploration, and the ongoing need to manage our orbital environment more effectively.