Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 is set for a return after being in space for 53 years. Originally built for a mission to Venus, it could never leave Earth's orbit due to technical issues and has since been hovering above us. It is making an uncontrolled entry and might fall in one piece.

Advertisment

When will Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 fall?

NASA has now disclosed the date and time the spacecraft will reenter the atmosphere. According to reports, this is likely to happen on May 10 at 03:30 ET (1 pm IST, Saturday). Meanwhile, the European Space Agency (ESA) has placed the time of reentry at 03:12 ET. It will then crash down a few minutes after that.

Earlier, Kosmos 482 was expected to fall back between May 9 and May 13. 

Advertisment

Where will Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 fall?

While the time and date the spacecraft is expected to crash back are somewhat clear now, it is still not known where it would fall. Scientists have estimated that the 494-kg spacecraft can fall within 52 degrees north or south of the equator.

Also Read: India in danger zone as out-of-control spacecraft comes crashing down, estimate suggests

Advertisment

This means that there is a high chance it might fall on land. 

Continental United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern parts of South America, major portions of central and southern Europe and Asia, and northern parts of Africa are at risk of impact. However,  the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are spread far and wide on Earth, and so everyone is keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that it takes a dip in the waters.

Also Read: Kosmos 482 is plunging with something hanging on its side. What is it?

Kosmos was launched on March 31, 1972, and it was meant to visit Venus. However, it developed technical problems.

What went wrong with Kosmos 482?

After the spacecraft reached the Earth's parking orbit, it made a push to go towards Venus. But its timer had a problem, and it separated into four pieces.

Also Read: WATCH OUT! Spacecraft that left for Venus 53 years ago is now tumbling towards us

Two parts crashed into New Zealand within 48 hours, while the other two, believed to be the payload and detached engine unit, went into a higher orbit. These two pieces are now falling down.

The problem with Kosmos 482

The main issue is that the spacecraft was built to withstand the harsh conditions of Venus. This is why there are high chances that it won't disintegrate in the atmosphere and will fall down in one piece. Besides, it is an uncontrolled entry, and so scientists have no way to make it crash in a desired location. 

Also Read: 600 million light-years away, two black holes in one galaxy have baffled scientists

Another problem with Kosmos 482 is that it seems to have a parachute hanging from its side. Satellite tracker Ralf Vandebergh of the Netherlands took pictures of the spacecraft and saw "a clear compact ball". But he also saw "a weak elongated structure at one particular side of the ball", which he thinks is the parachute.