Out-of-control Soviet spacecraft could hit Wales as it crashes back to Earth
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A Soviet spacecraft that's been adrift since 1972 is expected to plummet back to Earth this Sunday morning, with a chance of debris landing in the UK. The Kosmos-482, originally intended as a Venus lander, has been predicted by scientists to reenter Earth's atmosphere between May 8-13.
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Space Debris Office has updated its forecast on Friday, pinpointing the likely reentry time at 08:12 UK time on Sunday. While the exact crash site remains uncertain, the potential impact zone spans from 52° north to 52° south latitude, encompassing southern England and parts of Wales.
Due to its durable design for Venus' extreme conditions, some components of the probe, such as the titanium descent capsule, might survive the reentry and land intact. Space authorities are tracking its trajectory, although it's expected that the craft will most probably plunge into the sea.
ESA has commented on the situation: "On 10 May, an uncontrolled reentry will take place of the so-called Kosmos-482 descent craft, a Soviet Venera landing capsule that launched 53 years ago. It was meant to land on Venus, but its launcher never escaped Earth's gravity. Now, the descent craft will come down at a point between 52 degrees north and south of the equator."
They added, "As the reentry comes closer, the predictions will become more precise in the updates.", reports Wales Online.
The Kosmos-482 Descent Craft is encased in a titanium shell, built to endure the intense conditions of re-entering Venus' atmosphere.
Weighing approximately 500 kilograms and measuring 1 metre in diameter, it may survive and reach the ground almost intact.
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