Soviet spacecraft plunges to Earth after 50 years stuck in space
A Cold War-era spacecraft has come crashing down to Earth after being stuck in orbit for more than five decades.
An unconfirmed report from Russian space agency Roscosmos claimed that the Kosmos 482 splashed down in the Indian Ocean, west of Jakarta.
A Venera module similar to the Kosmos-482 that has crashed back to Earth. Credit: NASA
Experts from around the globe had been monitoring Kosmos 482, but its eccentric orbit, coupled with space weather, made its potential landing site difficult to predict.
In an update on its Telegram channel, Roscosmos said: 'The descent of the spacecraft was monitored by the automated warning system for hazardous situations in near-Earth space.
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