A Soviet-era spacecraft that failed its mission to Venus over five decades ago has finally returned to Earth. Kosmos 482, launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union, reentered Earth’s atmosphere Saturday after 53 years in orbit.
Originally designed as part of a series of Venus missions, Kosmos 482 never left Earth’s orbit due to a rocket malfunction shortly after launch. Most of the craft fell back to Earth within a decade, but the lander component — a titanium-encased sphere built to withstand Venus’s extreme environment — remained in space until its reentry.
The European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking network confirmed the spacecraft’s descent, noting it vanished from radar detection and failed to appear on subsequent orbits. The European Space Agency also confirmed the reentry after Kosmos 482 did not show up over a key German radar station.
It remains unclear where the spacecraft entered the atmosphere or whether any debris survived the descent. The lander, about three feet in diameter and weighing over 1,000 pounds, was engineered for a harsh planetary landing and may have endured parts of the reentry process.
Scientists monitoring the spacecraft emphasized the low risk to human life, with the odds of debris hitting anyone considered extremely low. However, the craft’s uncontrolled descent and reinforced structure made it a unique case among space reentries typically managed and directed into remote ocean areas.
The U.S. Space Command, which tracks dozens of reentries monthly, had yet to confirm the final details of Kosmos 482’s reentry as of Saturday morning. Solar activity and the spacecraft’s aging condition contributed to the uncertainty surrounding its descent.
Kosmos 482 serves as a stark reminder of Cold War-era space competition and the enduring presence of obsolete spacecraft orbiting Earth.
