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Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Out-of-control Soviet satellite Kosmos could smash into the Earth TODAY - and scientists still have no idea where it will hit
An out-of-control Soviet satellite is expected to smash into the Earth today - but scientists don't know where. The spacecraft was meant to go to Venus, but it never made it to the planet and is now expected to fall back to Earth. The half-ton Soviet craft, named Kosmos 482, is likely to come down over water or a desolate region. Experts have said that the odds of it landing into a populated area are 'infinitesimally small' Scientists estimated on Friday that it was likely to land on Saturday morning, US eastern time, give or take several hours. While space debris trackers around the world converged in their forecasts, it was still too soon to know exactly when and where the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 would come down. That uncertainty was due to potential solar activity and the spacecraft's old condition. University of Colorado Boulder scientist Marcin Pilinski said: 'While we can anticipate that most of this object will not burn up in the atmosphere during re-entry, it may be severely damaged on impact.' Mr Pilinski said it was very unlikely it would hit populated areas. Its parachutes were expected to be useless by now, and its batteries long dead. Dutch scientist Marco Langbroek estimated the craft will be heading into earth at around 150mph if it remains intact. The satellite was launched in 1972, and it was intended to go to Venus to join other spacecraft in their Venera programme. However, a rocket malfunction left this one stuck in orbit around Earth. Gravity kept tugging on it and was expected to finally cause its doom. Spherical in shape, the spacecraft - 3ft (one metre) across and packing more than 1,000lbs (495kg) - will be the last piece of Kosmos 482 to fall from the sky. All the other parts plummeted within a decade. Any surviving wreckage will belong to Russia under a United Nations treaty. Dr Marco Langbroek, an astronomer and satellite tracker at the Delft University of Technology, has used the latest observations of this spacecraft to calculate where it might fall. Previously, Dr Langbroek calculated that the landing module could impact anywhere within latitude 52 degrees north and 52 degrees south. In the UK, that put anywhere south of Cambridge, Ipswich, and Milton Keynes at risk of being hit. Now, further observations of Kosmos 482's orbit have allowed Dr Langbroek to work out the trajectory it will take as it falls, and what cities it will pass over. Comparing this path to a list of cities with over one million residents, there are a significant number of densely populated areas that could be at risk. In Europe, the craft could impact London, Brussels, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, or a number of other major cities. In North America, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Calgary and Havana are all under the re-entry path. Meanwhile, in South America, Brazil is particularly exposed to risk, with São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Natal all in the firing line. Nor is the rest of the world entirely safe with major Asian cities such as Hiroshima and Sapporo in Japan, Fuzhou in China, Nagpur in India, and Pyongyang in North Korea all under the path. Even sparsely populated Australia does not escape risk, with Brisbane directly under the possible landing pathway.
BreakingNews.ie
09-05-2025
- Science
- BreakingNews.ie
Soviet-era spacecraft expected to plummet to Earth this weekend after 53 years
A half-ton Soviet spacecraft that never made it to Venus 53 years ago is expected to fall back to Earth this weekend. Built to land on the solar system's hottest planet, the titanium-covered spacecraft may survive its fiery, uncontrolled plunge through Earth's atmosphere, predicted to occur on Saturday. Advertisement But experts said it was likely to come down over water, covering most of the world, or a desolate region. The odds of it slamming into a populated area are 'infinitesimally small', said University of Colorado Boulder scientist Marcin Pilinski. 'While we can anticipate that most of this object will not burn up in the atmosphere during re-entry, it may be severely damaged on impact,' Mr Pilinski said. By Friday, all indications pointed to a re-entry early on Saturday morning, US Eastern Time, give or take several hours. Advertisement While space debris trackers around the world converged in their forecasts, it was still too soon to know exactly when and where the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 would come down. That uncertainty was due to potential solar activity and the spacecraft's old condition. Its parachutes were expected to be useless by now and its batteries long dead. Dutch scientist Marco Langbroek estimated the impact speed at 150mph if the spacecraft remains intact. Advertisement The Soviets launched Kosmos 482 in 1972, intending to send it to Venus to join other spacecraft in their Venera programme. But a rocket malfunction left this one stuck in orbit around Earth. Gravity kept tugging on it and was expected to finally cause its doom. Spherical in shape, the spacecraft – 3ft (one metre) across and packing more than 1,000lbs (495kg) – will be the last piece of Kosmos 482 to fall from the sky. Advertisement All the other parts plummeted within a decade. Any surviving wreckage will belong to Russia under a United Nations treaty.
