Soviet Spacecraft Kosmos 482 Plummets to Earth After 50 Years
Kosmos 482, a Soviet spacecraft lost during a failed Venus mission, has re-entered Earth's atmosphere, confirmed to fall over the Indian Ocean.
Summary
Kosmos 482, a half-ton Soviet spacecraft launched in 1972 toward Venus, re-entered Earth's atmosphere on Saturday. The spacecraft, monitored by the European Space Agency and U.S. Space Command, was last tracked over Germany before entering an uncontrolled descent. Initial reports suggest it came down over the Indian Ocean, although the exact location remains uncertain. Experts anticipated some debris could survive, given its titanium structure. Fortunately, the likelihood of injury from falling debris is extremely low. Kosmos 482's re-entry highlights ongoing concerns about space debris management from Cold War-era missions.
Articles (13)
No summary available for this perspective.
The Guardian·22d· "…What set Kosmos 482 apart – and earned it extra attention from government and private space trackers – was that it was more likely to survive re-entry, according to officials."
FAQ
History
- 22d
- 23d