Latest news with #Marco_Langbroek
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Cold War-Era Soviet Spacecraft Expected To Crash Back To Earth In May 2025
Quick Take Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. A Soviet-era spacecraft, Kosmos 482, will re-enter Earth in May 2025. It was launched for the Venera programme but malfunctioned mid-mission. Predicted re-entry date is around May 10, according to satellite tracker. A Soviet-era spacecraft, Kosmos 482, is expected to crash back to Earth in May 2025 after being stuck in orbit for over 50 years. The spacecraft was part of the Venera programme to gather information about Venus, but a malfunctioning timer prevented it from completing its mission. According to satellite tracker Marco Langbroek, the spacecraft is now predicted to re-enter Earth's atmosphere around May 10, give or take a few days. The spacecraft's fate is uncertain, with experts debating whether it will burn up or survive re-entry. If it survives, it could land between 51.7 degrees north and south latitude, potentially impacting populated areas or oceans. Orbital updates have resumed (yay!), see my latest forecast here: Current forecast from our reentry model: 10 May 14:30 UTC +- 2.2 days. Latest model runs are slowly creeping to a slightly later reentry time. — Dr Marco Langbroek (@Marco_Langbroek) May 2, 2025 Kosmos 482 is approximately 480 kilograms and one metre in diameter. Experts are skeptical that the parachute system would still function after all these years, and the heat shield could be damaged. Without the heat shield, the spacecraft would burn up, but if it does persist, a half-tonne metal object will suddenly drop from the sky. The landing site for the spacecraft is unknown, and there are chance that it will land in the ocean. The event also draws attention to the increasing concern regarding space debris and uncontrolled re-entry risks.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Is a failed Soviet spacecraft from the Cold War era about to crash into Earth; and where could it land?
In a storyline straight out of a sci-fi thriller, a long-forgotten Soviet space probe from 1972 is preparing to end its five-decade-long orbital journey with a fiery plunge back to Earth—and nobody knows where it will land. Dubbed as a "failed visitor" to Venus, the spacecraft was originally designed to brave the inferno of that planet's dense atmosphere. But it never got that far. After launch, it failed to break free from Earth's gravitational pull and instead became a silent, spiraling relic of the Cold War, circling our planet in low orbit for over 50 years. Now, in a twist worthy of a cosmic cliffhanger , it's about to make a dramatic reentry—and possibly, a hard landing. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Nuclear Power! How India and Pakistan's arsenals stack up Does America have a plan to capture Pakistan's nuclear weapons? Airspace blockade: India plots a flight path to skip Pakistan A Falling Star with a Soviet Soul A report from Unilad Tech stated that according to Dutch space tracker and lecturer Dr. Marco Langbroek of Delft University of Technology, the craft—about one metre wide and weighing nearly 500 kilograms—is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere around May 10, 2025, though the precise date is still elusive. 'Our current modelling consistently suggests reentry around 9–10 May,' he shared, adding that the spacecraft's descent may resemble a meteorite crash more than a graceful descent. Unlike most space debris that burns up on reentry, this Soviet probe might survive the plunge. 'It was built to endure Venus' harsh atmospheric entry,' Dr. Langbroek explained. 'So there's a very real possibility it won't disintegrate on its way down to Earth.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo And while it was originally equipped with a parachute, no one expects it to function after decades of exposure in space. If the craft does make it through the atmospheric gauntlet intact, it could slam into Earth at speeds nearing 250 kmph. — Marco_Langbroek (@Marco_Langbroek) Danger? Not Zero—But Still Unlikely Though the odds of it hitting a populated area remain low, the exact location of impact remains a nerve-racking mystery. With an orbital inclination of 51.7 degrees, the potential crash zone spans a vast belt—from the northernmost reaches of the UK to the southern shores of New Zealand. You Might Also Like: Was Blue Origin's star-studded space flight a Hollywood hoax? Netizens run wild with CGI conspiracy theories 'The risks involved are not particularly high,' Langbroek noted, 'but they are certainly not zero.' The uncertainty will only narrow as the object gets closer, but even then, precise predictions might remain elusive till the final hours. 2025: The Year Space Objects Won't Leave Us Alone This rogue satellite isn't the only celestial threat to have stirred anxiety in 2025. Earlier this year, NASA flagged a space rock with a 1-in-83 chance of colliding with Earth in 2032. Then came astronaut Chris Hadfield's warning of another asteroid with a 1-in-45 chance of impact in 2028. Now, add a half-tonne Soviet spacecraft falling from the sky to the list. In a world increasingly looking up for answers—and sometimes dangers—this relic from the space race era reminds us that even in space, the past can come back with a crash. Will it burn up in the skies, or slam into Earth with the vengeance of history? The world watches, waits, and wonders. You Might Also Like: Astronaut Sunita Williams reveals the hardest part of being stranded in space. And it will melt your heart
NDTV
29-04-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Lone Soviet Satellite Plunging Towards Earth May Crash Like A Meteorite
A 53-year-old Cold War-era Soviet spaceship, initially destined for Venus, is set to crash on Earth in about two weeks. Launched on March 31, 1972, the Kosmos 482 Descent Craft, weighing just under 500kg, is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere at a speed of about 250 km per hour, posing a risk similar to a meteorite impact, according to a report in The Independent, citing a tracker. When launched, the Soviet probe was bound for Venus, but a technical failure locked it in a perpetual orbit around Earth. However, it is expected to start falling back to the Earth in an uncontrolled re-entry around May 10. "In about 2 weeks from now, an unusual uncontrolled reentry will happen: a 53-year-old landing capsule from a failed Soviet Venera mission stuck in Earth orbit," Dutch satellite tracker Marco Langbroek wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 1/x In about 2 weeks from now, an unusual #uncontrolled #reentry will happen: a 53-yr-old landing capsule from a failed Soviet #Venera mission stuck in Earth orbit. It will likely survive reentry. (link to blogpost with more info including reentry forecasts, in next tweet) — Dr Marco Langbroek (@Marco_Langbroek) April 25, 2025 Also Read | Switzerland Trials Railway Tracks With Solar Panels To Power Trains Since the probe was designed to withstand acceleration, high pressures, and extreme heat on Venus, there is a small chance it might survive the reentry when most space objects disintegrate upon entering the Earth's atmosphere. "As this is a lander that was designed to survive passage through the Venus atmosphere, it is possible it will survive reentry through the Earth atmosphere intact, and impact intact," said Mr Langbroek. "There are many uncertain factors in this though, including that this will be a long shallow reentry trajectory and the age of the object." As for where the object will crash on Earth, it is still far too early to tell. However, with an orbital inclination of 51.7 degrees, the reentry can occur anywhere between latitudes 52 degrees north and 52 degrees south. While it is likely that the probe will crash into a water body, there is a small chance it might thud into land.
