The Soviet spacecraft that had been stranded in space for 53 years took its final tumble and crashed down on Earth on May 10. As per the Russian space agency Roscosmos, it fell into the Indian Ocean, 560 kilometres west of the Middle Andaman Island.

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Earlier, the European Space Agency said in an update that Kosmos 482 was last spotted by radar over Germany,

Only a few days ago, it was reported that Kosmos 482 will crash on Earth. It was initially meant to visit Venus, but technical problems hampered the mission, and it has been hovering over Earth since then.

Ever since it was disclosed that the defunct satellite would fall down, scientists have speculated when that would be. It was initially expected to happen anywhere between May 9 - 13. Later, NASA and the European Space Agency zeroed in on May 10 as the most likely date, before confirming that it would re-enter and crash on this date. 

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The timing of the re-entry and the crash were never clear. Towards the end, NASA estimated that it could re-enter at 03:30 ET (1 pm IST, Saturday). The ESA said the time of reentry could be 03:12 ET. 

The ESA later estimated that it could be latest estimate suggests reentry will occur at 2:37 am ET (12:07 pm IST) on May 10, plus or minus 3.28 hours. 

Also Read: Kosmos 482 will re-enter Earth today, but crash location still a mystery

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Kosmos 482 was deemed a hazard

The location where it would crash remained a mystery till the very end. Scientists estimated that based on the trajectory, the 494-kg spacecraft can fall within 52 degrees north or south of the equator. This covers most of the land areas and seas.

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

The main problem with Kosmos 482 was that it was built for Venus and to survive its harsh environment. This is why it wasn't expected to disintegrate in the atmosphere. Scientists said it was likely that it would fall in one piece.

This, combined with the fact that it was an uncontrolled re-entry, sent a wave of fear across the world as no one knew where it would fall.

About Kosmos 482 

Kosmos was launched on March 31, 1972. The probe consists of a 3.3-foot-wide titanium shell lined with thermal insulation. Venus is extremely hot, and so the probe was designed in such a way that it would withstand the harsh environment. 

 

What went wrong with Kosmos 482?

After being launched, it took its space in Earth's orbit. As it was about to lunge towards Venus, it developed a problem with its timer and separated into four pieces. Two of its pieces crashed into New Zealand within 48 hours. The other two, likely the payload and detached engine unit, moved into a higher orbit.