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Time of India
11-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 crashes to Earth after 53 years, raising concerns over space debris
A chapter of space exploration history has ended with the dramatic reentry of the Soviet Venus lander, Kosmos 482. It was over five decades since the deceased spacecraft had been in orbit around Earth. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On May 10, 2025, it finally returned to Earth. The reentry occurred at 2:24 a.m. ET (0624 GMT or 9:24 a.m. Moscow time), splashing into the Indian Ocean off Jakarta's western coast, Indonesia, said Roscosmos, Russia's space agency. While it appears to have landed safely in the ocean, the precise impact site of Kosmos 482 is somewhat disputed. Different space agencies and tracking stations estimated differently where the probe might reenter Earth's atmosphere. Though Roscosmos tracked it over the Indian Ocean off Indonesia, other estimates place the options from the South Asian continent itself to the Pacific Ocean east of it. The inability of the answer to the precise landing point indicates just how hard it is to trace space objects after reentering the atmosphere after remaining in orbit for so long. Kosmos 482's malfunction left it stranded in Earth's orbit for over 50 years Launched in the early 1970s, Kosmos 482, which tipped the scales at just under 500 kilograms, was affected by a malfunction on the way to Venus. There was an unplanned problem due to a timer malfunction that resulted in a premature shutdown of the engine, leaving the spacecraft stuck in Earth's orbit for over 50 years. As the reentry of the satellite neared, scientists first estimated that it would impact between May 9 and May 13. But later, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed that May 10 was the most likely date for its descent. Kosmos 482's last orbit and its stranded mission to Venus Before it finally perished, Kosmos 482 did one last orbit of the Earth. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project caught a picture of the probe as it passed near Rome, Italy, on May 10 for one of its final passes through the city. The four-shot composite is a picture of the spacecraft as a dashed line across the sky. The unusual appearance of the probe in the picture is due to the long exposure required to capture the rapidly moving target. Kosmos 482 was originally designed as one of the Soviet Union's grand Venera programs to investigate Venus, Earth's close "sister planet." The probe was launched in 1972 with the purpose of landing on Venus, a planet renowned for its heat and dense, corrosive atmosphere. But after experiencing a rocket malfunction, the probe found itself wedged in an elliptical orbit around Earth instead. Within the period of the next 53 years, the spacecraft's orbit decayed slowly as atmospheric drag slowly pulled it towards Earth, leading to its re-entry today. Kosmos 482's reentry highlights the growing threat of resilient space junk Kosmos 482's reentry into the Earth serves as a reminder of the growing issue of space junk. While most space objects plunge into Earth's atmosphere and burn up, some, particularly heavy or dense objects such as Kosmos 482, survive the hot reentry. Particularly if the object was designed to withstand extreme environments, such as the high-speed passage through the dense atmosphere of Venus. Kosmos 482's rugged shape to sustain Venusian brutal conditions would most likely have been resilient enough to survive reentry without wide disintegration. Kosmos 482 reentry and impact The size of the craft of approximately 3.3 feet (1 meter) in diameter and around 1,190 pounds (495 kilograms) suggests that if it had landed intact, its speed on impact on the planet would have been around 150 mph (240 km/h). This speed is comparable to that of a 16- to 22-inch (40-55 cm) medium-sized fragment of a meteorite, as simulated by Dutch satellite tracker Marco Langbroek. But with its trajectory and where it was seen, it's estimated the impact fell into the ocean, which limited the damage, if any was done to land or individuals. Recent telescope images taken by Dutch satellite spotter Ralf Vandebergh show what is believed to be the parachute deployed by Kosmos 482 during its approach into reentry. The presence of a parachute in the images means that the spacecraft was possibly meant to have some kind of controlled descent, although it is unknown whether the parachute functioned or not. Kosmos 482's return to Earth is a timely reminder of the increasing number of space debris orbiting the planet. Three significant items of space debris enter the Earth's atmosphere each day, a figure set to rise with increasing numbers of satellites and spacecraft being launched into orbit. Currently, estimates by the European Space Agency (ESA) put the number of satellites in orbit around the Earth at some 14,240, of which 11,400 are still operational. This estimate includes the mounting number of satellites in large constellations such as SpaceX's Starlink constellation with about 7,200 satellites in orbit and continuing to increase. Kosmos 482's return: Rising safety and environmental risks Though the likelihood of one piece of space junk causing harm to people or structures is low, the overall threat increases as there are more reentries. The majority of the garbage that survives reentry ends up in the ocean or backcountry, but with more objects reentering, the potential for a catastrophe increases. Besides the immediate threat to safety, there are also environmental implications. Researchers warn that satellite and space reentry can discharge harmful pollutants in the atmosphere of Earth and destroy the ozone layer and the environment at large, leading to climate change. With the volume of space traffic increasing, space debris management and minimizing its environmental impacts will be an increasingly important issue. Also Read |
The Herald Scotland
11-05-2025
- Science
- The Herald Scotland
Soviet spacecraft returns to Earth. Crashes into Indian Ocean
The European Space Agency is monitoring Cosmos 482's uncontrolled descent. The spacecraft was last spotted on radar over Germany between 12:30 a.m. ET and 2:04 a.m. ET. "We have not received so far any reports on visual direct observations of the final re-entry, or on any impacts on ground," the ESA said. Skywatching: May 2025 full moon is a flower moon and micromoon. Here's when to see it. The EU Space Surveillance and Tracking agency said, "Object Cosmos-482 Descent Craft decayed within the last estimated re-entry window." Scientists had not been concerned about Cosmos 482's return to Earth causing a danger risk to humans because of the craft's small size - about 3 feet in diameter and around 1,190 pounds, reported. The space news site reported that Virtual Telescope Project astronomer Gianluca Masi posted an image of the spacecraft as it passed over Rome early May 10. The probe was "visible as a trail entering the field of view from the top and pointing to the bottom right corner," Masi wrote on his website. What happened to Cosmos 482? Cosmos 482, also known as Kosmos 482, was one of a pair of identical Venus atmospheric lander probes launched by the Soviet Union in 1972. The other spacecraft, Venera 8, arrived at Venus and made scientific measurements of the planet's soil before ceasing operation. According to NASA, Cosmos 482 suffered an apparent launch malfunction and failed to achieve the velocity needed to reach Venus' atmosphere. Cosmos 482 separated into four pieces, two of which remained in Earth's low orbit and decayed within 48 hours, and the other two pieces went into a higher orbit. Contributing: Greta Cross, Eric Lagatta and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@ What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Soviet spacecraft Cosmos 482 crashes without incident into Indian Ocean
Cosmos 482, the exploratory spacecraft launched toward Venus by the Soviet Union in March 1972, has finally ended its mission. The 50-year-old lander probe returned to Earth early Saturday, May 10, entering the atmosphere at about 2:24 a.m. ET (9:24 a.m. Moscow time) over the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia, and falling into the Indian Ocean, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. The European Space Agency is monitoring Cosmos 482's uncontrolled descent. The spacecraft was last spotted on radar over Germany between 12:30 a.m. ET and 2:04 a.m. ET. "We have not received so far any reports on visual direct observations of the final re-entry, or on any impacts on ground," the ESA said. Skywatching: May 2025 full moon is a flower moon and micromoon. Here's when to see it. The EU Space Surveillance and Tracking agency said, "Object Cosmos-482 Descent Craft decayed within the last estimated re-entry window." Scientists had not been concerned about Cosmos 482's return to Earth causing a danger risk to humans because of the craft's small size – about 3 feet in diameter and around 1,190 pounds, reported. The space news site reported that Virtual Telescope Project astronomer Gianluca Masi posted an image of the spacecraft as it passed over Rome early May 10. The probe was "visible as a trail entering the field of view from the top and pointing to the bottom right corner," Masi wrote on his website. Cosmos 482, also known as Kosmos 482, was one of a pair of identical Venus atmospheric lander probes launched by the Soviet Union in 1972. The other spacecraft, Venera 8, arrived at Venus and made scientific measurements of the planet's soil before ceasing operation. According to NASA, Cosmos 482 suffered an apparent launch malfunction and failed to achieve the velocity needed to reach Venus' atmosphere. Cosmos 482 separated into four pieces, two of which remained in Earth's low orbit and decayed within 48 hours, and the other two pieces went into a higher orbit. Contributing: Greta Cross, Eric Lagatta and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@ What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Soviet spacecraft returns to Earth. Crashes into Indian Ocean
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Failed Soviet Venus lander Kosmos 482 crashes to Earth after 53 years in orbit
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A failed Soviet Venus lander's long space odyssey has come to an end. The Kosmos 482 probe crashed to Earth today (May 10) after circling our planet for more than five decades. Reentry occurred at 2:24 a.m. ET (0624 GMT or 9:24 a.m. Moscow time) over the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia, according to Russia's space agency Roscosmos. Kosmos 482 appears to have fallen harmlessly into the sea. That's just one estimate, however; other space agencies and tracking organizations predicted different reentry locations, from the South Asian mainland to the eastern Pacific. It's unclear when or if we'll get a definitive answer to where Kosmos 482 came down. Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project caught an image of Kosmos 482 during one of its final orbits as it passed over Rome, Italy just before sunrise on May 10. In the photo, the probe is "visible as a trail entering the field of view from the top and pointing to the bottom right corner," Masi wrote on his website. "The picture is the sum of four images, this is why the trail of Cosmos 482 looks dashed." Earth isn't the planet that Kosmos 482 was supposed to land on. The spacecraft was part of the Soviet Union's Venera program, which sent a fleet of probes to Venus in the 1960s, '70s and early '80s. Kosmos 482 launched toward Earth's hellishly hot sister planet in 1972, but a problem with its rocket stranded the spacecraft in an elliptical orbit around Earth. For the next 53 years, atmospheric drag pulled the probe down slowly but surely, leading to today's dramatic denouement. Most large pieces of space junk — decrepit satellites and spent rocket bodies, for example — break apart during their fiery trips back to Earth, creating artificial meteor showers. It's possible that Kosmos 482 made it down in one piece today, however, given that it was designed to survive a high-speed trip through Venus' thick atmosphere. Kosmos 482 is about 3.3 feet (1 meter) wide and weighs about 1,190 pounds (495 kilograms). If it didn't break apart during reentry, it likely hit Earth's surface going about 150 mph (240 kph), according to Dutch satellite tracker Marco Langbroek. In that scenario, "the kinetic energy at impact is similar to that of a 40-55 cm [16 to 22 inches] large (after ablation) meteorite fragment," Langbroek wrote in a blog post recently. Related stories: — 3 big hunks of space junk crash to Earth every day — and it's only going to get worse — New images of Soviet Venus lander falling to Earth suggest its parachute may be out — Kessler Syndrome and the space debris problem Kosmos 482's fall draws attention to our planet's growing space junk problem. On average, three sizeable pieces of debris crash back to Earth every day — and that number is only going to go up. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), Earth orbit hosts about 14,240 satellites, 11,400 of which are active. Most of the operational craft belong to SpaceX's Starlink broadband megaconstellation, which currently consists of about 7,200 satellites but is growing all the time. Other megaconstellations are under construction as well. For example, Amazon just launched the first big batch of spacecraft for its Project Kuiper broadband network, which will eventually harbor 3,200 satellites, if all goes according to plan. And rockets have lofted satellites for two different Chinese megaconstellations, each of which is designed to host at least 13,000 spacecraft. "With the increasing space traffic, we expect that reentry frequencies increase further in the future," ESA officials wrote in a Kosmos 482 blog post. The risk of injury or property damage from each individual reentry is very small, given that much debris burns up in the air and the pieces that don't usually come down in the ocean or on unoccupied land. But as the reentry volume goes up, so too do the odds of a destructive impact. There are other potential consequences as well. For instance, researchers are calling attention to the pollution created by reentering satellites, which could damage Earth's ozone layer and also affect our planet's climate. Editor's note: This story was updated at 12:10 p.m. ET on May 10 to state that tracking organizations predicted several different possible reentry locales for Kosmos 482.
Indianapolis Star
10-05-2025
- Science
- Indianapolis Star
Soviet spacecraft Cosmos 482 crashes without incident into Indian Ocean
Cosmos 482, the exploratory spacecraft launched toward Venus by the Soviet Union in March 1972, has finally ended its mission. The 50-year-old lander probe returned to Earth early Saturday, May 10, entering the atmosphere at about 2:24 a.m. ET (9:24 a.m. Moscow time) over the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia, and falling into the Indian Ocean, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. The European Space Agency is monitoring Cosmos 482's uncontrolled descent. The spacecraft was last spotted on radar over Germany between 12:30 a.m. ET and 2:04 a.m. ET. "We have not received so far any reports on visual direct observations of the final re-entry, or on any impacts on ground," the ESA said. Skywatching: May 2025 full moon is a flower moon and micromoon. Here's when to see it. The EU Space Surveillance and Tracking agency said, "Object Cosmos-482 Descent Craft decayed within the last estimated re-entry window." Scientists had not been concerned about Cosmos 482's return to Earth causing a danger risk to humans because of the craft's small size – about 3 feet in diameter and around 1,190 pounds, reported. The space news site reported that Virtual Telescope Project astronomer Gianluca Masi posted an image of the spacecraft as it passed over Rome early May 10. The probe was "visible as a trail entering the field of view from the top and pointing to the bottom right corner," Masi wrote on his website. Cosmos 482, also known as Kosmos 482, was one of a pair of identical Venus atmospheric lander probes launched by the Soviet Union in 1972. The other spacecraft, Venera 8, arrived at Venus and made scientific measurements of the planet's soil before ceasing operation. According to NASA, Cosmos 482 suffered an apparent launch malfunction and failed to achieve the velocity needed to reach Venus' atmosphere. Cosmos 482 separated into four pieces, two of which remained in Earth's low orbit and decayed within 48 hours, and the other two pieces went into a higher orbit. Contributing: Greta Cross, Eric Lagatta and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@
