Soviet space probe might hit Canada after 53 years of trying to reach Venus
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Look up. A Soviet space probe that has been trying to get to Venus for the past 53 years is about to give up and plummet back to Earth any day now. There's no telling where it could land.
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Kosmos 482, to give the careening craft its official name, was launched from the Soviet Union on March 31, 1972, bound for Venus. Despite the current craze for missions to Mars, Venus was once a popular destination for space probes, although Earth's track record was not stellar.
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Between 1961 and 1989, 37 attempts were made but only 22 were successful (less than 60 per cent). Failures included the first 11 tries by the Soviet Union, and the first attempt by the United States, which on its second shot in 1962 pulled off the first successful flyby of another world.
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Of the failed Soviet launches, 11 of them never escaped Earth orbit, and all of those fell back to Earth within a year. Only one — Kosmos 482 — stayed up longer. A lot longer.
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Or rather, most of it did. The spacecraft broke into several pieces, with the would-be Venusian lander kicked into a high-Earth orbit that would take decades to decay. Two other pieces re-entered the atmosphere and, thanks to their titanium construction, managed to strike Earth without burning up.
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They landed near Ashburton, a town about 85 kms southwest of Christchurch on New Zealand's south island, where they were dubbed 'space balls,' long before Mel Brooks' satirical science-fiction comedy of the same name.
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They were regarded as objects of curiosity, until someone pointed out that they might also be radioactive, which led to at least one being 'jailed' briefly for safety's sake.
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The objects turned out to be harmless — at least, now that they were no longer falling from the sky — and ended up in a local museum after the Soviets denied all knowledge of them. But the threat of radioactivity was not unwarranted.
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In 1978, a Soviet reconnaissance satellite dubbed Kosmos 954 re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and exploded over northern Canada. Radioactive debris landed in Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and what is now Nunavut, prompting a joint Canada-U.S. team to spend the better part of a year searching a vast area of the Far North in a recovery effort known as Operation Morning Light.
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CTV News
11-05-2025
- CTV News
Soviet-era spacecraft plunges to Earth after 53 years stuck in orbit
This photo provided by researcher Jane Greaves shows the planet Venus, seen from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Akatsuki probe in May 2016. (J. Greaves/Cardiff University/JAXA via AP) A Soviet-era spacecraft plunged to Earth on Saturday, more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus. Its uncontrolled entry was confirmed by both the Russian Space Agency and European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking. The Russians indicated it came down over the Indian Ocean, but some experts were not so sure of the precise location. The European Space Agency's space debris office also tracked the spacecraft's doom after it failed to appear over a German radar station. It was not immediately known how much, if any, of the half-ton spacecraft survived the fiery descent from orbit. Experts said ahead of time that some if not all of it might come crashing down, given it was built to withstand a landing on Venus, the solar system's hottest planet. The chances of anyone getting clobbered by spacecraft debris were exceedingly low, scientists said. Launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union, the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 was part of a series of missions bound for Venus. But this one never made it out of orbit around Earth, stranded there by a rocket malfunction. Much of the spacecraft came tumbling back to Earth within a decade of the failed launch. No longer able to resist gravity's tug as its orbit dwindled, the spherical lander — an estimated three feet (one metre) across — was the last part of the spacecraft to come down. The lander was encased in titanium, according to experts, and weighed more than 1,000 pounds (495 kilograms). Any surviving wreckage will belong to Russia, under a United Nations treaty. After following the spacecraft's downward spiral, scientists, military experts and others could not pinpoint in advance precisely when or where the spacecraft might come down. Solar activity added to the uncertainty as well as the spacecraft's deteriorating condition after so long in space. As of late Saturday morning, the U.S. Space Command had yet to confirm the spacecraft's demise as it collected and analyzed data from orbit. The U.S. Space Command routinely monitors dozens of reentries each month. What set Kosmos 482 apart — and earned it extra attention from government and private space trackers — was that it was more likely to survive reentry, according to officials. It was also coming in uncontrolled, without any intervention by flight controllers who normally target the Pacific and other vast expanses of water for old satellites and other space debris. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press
Toronto Star
11-05-2025
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This Soviet-era spacecraft has likely crashed into Earth at 25,000 km/h — there was a chance it would hit Canada
A 53-year-old Soviet spacecraft built to survive the hellish conditions of Venus — where the sky glows yellow, the temperature soars to 460 degrees Celsius and the atmospheric pressure is akin to being crushed a kilometre below the ocean's surface — has likely hit Earth, the European Space Agency says. No one knows exactly where. The experts weren't quite sure on when it was going to, either. And even worse: Designed for success in one of our solar system's most deadly environments, it might have even reached the ground in one piece.
The Province
10-05-2025
- The Province
Soviet-era spacecraft plunges to Earth after 53 years stuck in orbit
The Russians indicated it came down over the Indian Ocean, but some experts were not so sure of the precise location A Soviet-era space probe that took images of Venus crashed back to earth on Saturday after 53-years in orbit. It captured a volcano named Sapas Mons that dominates this computer-generated view of the surface of Venus. Lava flows extend for hundreds of kilometres across the fractured plains shown in the foreground. (Image Credit: NASA/JPL Jesse Kline Climate) A Soviet-era spacecraft plunged to Earth on Saturday, more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Its uncontrolled entry was confirmed by both the Russian Space Agency and European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking. The Russians indicated it came down over the Indian Ocean, but some experts were not so sure of the precise location. The European Space Agency's space debris office also tracked the spacecraft's doom after it failed to appear over a German radar station. It was not immediately known how much, if any, of the half-ton spacecraft survived the fiery descent from orbit. Experts said ahead of time that some if not all of it might come crashing down, given it was built to withstand a landing on Venus, the solar system's hottest planet. The chances of anyone getting clobbered by spacecraft debris were exceedingly low, scientists said. Launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union, the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 was part of a series of missions bound for Venus. But this one never made it out of orbit around Earth, stranded there by a rocket malfunction. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Much of the spacecraft came tumbling back to Earth within a decade of the failed launch. No longer able to resist gravity's tug as its orbit dwindled, the spherical lander — an estimated 3 feet (1 meter) across — was the last part of the spacecraft to come down. The lander was encased in titanium, according to experts, and weighed more than 495 kilograms. Any surviving wreckage will belong to Russia, under a United Nations treaty. After following the spacecraft's downward spiral, scientists, military experts and others could not pinpoint in advance precisely when or where the spacecraft might come down. Solar activity added to the uncertainty as well as the spacecraft's deteriorating condition after so long in space. As of late Saturday morning, the U.S. Space Command had yet to confirm the spacecraft's demise as it collected and analyzed data from orbit. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The U.S. Space Command routinely monitors dozens of reentries each month. What set Kosmos 482 apart — and earned it extra attention from government and private space trackers — was that it was more likely to survive reentry, according to officials. It was also coming in uncontrolled, without any intervention by flight controllers who normally target the Pacific and other vast expanses of water for old satellites and other space debris. Read More Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks News News
