Latest news with #lander
CNN
5 days ago
- Science
- CNN
Ispace loses contact with Resilience vehicle during lunar landing attempt
Resilience, a lander built by Japanese-based company Ispace, lost contact with mission control during its attempt to land on the moon.
Wales Online
09-05-2025
- Science
- Wales Online
Out-of-control Soviet spacecraft could hit Wales as it crashes back to Earth
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Soviet spacecraft that's been adrift since 1972 is expected to plummet back to Earth this Sunday morning, with a chance of debris landing in the UK. The Kosmos-482, originally intended as a Venus lander, has been predicted by scientists to reenter Earth's atmosphere between May 8-13. The European Space Agency's (ESA) Space Debris Office has updated its forecast on Friday, pinpointing the likely reentry time at 08:12 UK time on Sunday. While the exact crash site remains uncertain, the potential impact zone spans from 52° north to 52° south latitude, encompassing southern England and parts of Wales. Due to its durable design for Venus' extreme conditions, some components of the probe, such as the titanium descent capsule, might survive the reentry and land intact. Space authorities are tracking its trajectory, although it's expected that the craft will most probably plunge into the sea. ESA has commented on the situation: "On 10 May, an uncontrolled reentry will take place of the so-called Kosmos-482 descent craft, a Soviet Venera landing capsule that launched 53 years ago. It was meant to land on Venus, but its launcher never escaped Earth's gravity. Now, the descent craft will come down at a point between 52 degrees north and south of the equator." They added, "As the reentry comes closer, the predictions will become more precise in the updates.", reports Wales Online. The Kosmos-482 Descent Craft is encased in a titanium shell, built to endure the intense conditions of re-entering Venus' atmosphere. Weighing approximately 500 kilograms and measuring 1 metre in diameter, it may survive and reach the ground almost intact. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community Find out what's happening near you
North Wales Live
09-05-2025
- Science
- North Wales Live
Out-of-control Soviet spacecraft could hit Wales as it crashes back to Earth
A Soviet spacecraft that's been adrift since 1972 is expected to plummet back to Earth this Sunday morning, with a chance of debris landing in the UK. The Kosmos-482, originally intended as a Venus lander, has been predicted by scientists to reenter Earth's atmosphere between May 8-13. The European Space Agency's (ESA) Space Debris Office has updated its forecast on Friday, pinpointing the likely reentry time at 08:12 UK time on Sunday. While the exact crash site remains uncertain, the potential impact zone spans from 52° north to 52° south latitude, encompassing southern England and parts of Wales. Due to its durable design for Venus' extreme conditions, some components of the probe, such as the titanium descent capsule, might survive the reentry and land intact. Space authorities are tracking its trajectory, although it's expected that the craft will most probably plunge into the sea. ESA has commented on the situation: "On 10 May, an uncontrolled reentry will take place of the so-called Kosmos-482 descent craft, a Soviet Venera landing capsule that launched 53 years ago. It was meant to land on Venus, but its launcher never escaped Earth's gravity. Now, the descent craft will come down at a point between 52 degrees north and south of the equator." They added, "As the reentry comes closer, the predictions will become more precise in the updates.", reports Wales Online. The Kosmos-482 Descent Craft is encased in a titanium shell, built to endure the intense conditions of re-entering Venus' atmosphere. Weighing approximately 500 kilograms and measuring 1 metre in diameter, it may survive and reach the ground almost intact.
Wales Online
08-05-2025
- Science
- Wales Online
Soviet satellite to crash to Earth on Sunday and could hit Wales
Soviet satellite to crash to Earth on Sunday and could hit Wales The Kosmos-482 has been stranded in orbit since 1972 Artist impression of a satellite burning up as it travels through Earth's atmosphere An out of control Soviet spacecraft is set to crash into the Earth on Sunday morning - and it could hit the UK. Scientists had estimated the Kosmos-482, a Venus lander stranded in Earth orbit since 1972, was expected to make an uncontrolled reentry between 8-13 May. However, ESA's Space Debris Office latest prediction Friday sees reentry of the descent craft taking place at 08:12 UK time on Sunday. The exact landing site is unknown, but the potential impact zone covers much of the globe between 52° north and 52° south latitude - which takes in the south of England and parts of Wales. The probe's robust construction-designed to survive Venus' harsh atmosphere-means some parts, especially the titanium descent capsule, may reach the surface intact. Space agencies are closely monitoring its descent, but most forecasts suggest it will likely fall into the ocean. Possible re-entry locations lie anywhere along the yellow and green lines ESA said: "On 10 May, an uncontrolled reentry will take place of the so-called Kosmos-482 descent craft, a Soviet Venera landing capsule that launched 53 years ago. It was meant to land on Venus, but its launcher never escaped Earth's gravity. Now, the descent craft will come down at a point between 52 degrees north and south of the equator. Article continues below "As the reentry comes closer, the predictions will become more precise in the updates." The Kosmos-482 Descent Craft has a titanium shell designed to withstand the extreme accelerations, heat and pressure of a Venus re-entry. Weighing approximately 500 kilograms and measuring 1 metre in diameter, it may survive and reach the ground almost intact.
BreakingNews.ie
07-05-2025
- Science
- BreakingNews.ie
Private Japanese lunar lander enters orbit around moon
A private lunar lander from Japan is circling the moon with another month to go before it attempts a touchdown. Tokyo-based ispace said on Wednesday morning its Resilience lander had entered lunar orbit. Advertisement 'The countdown to lunar landing has now officially begun,' the company said in a statement. SpaceX launched Resilience with US-based Firefly Aerospace's lunar lander in January. This photo provided by ispace in January 2025 shows the company's Micro Rover (ispace/AP Firefly got there first in March, becoming the first private outfit to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon without crashing or falling over. Another American company, Intuitive Machines, landed a spacecraft on the moon a few days later, but it ended up sideways in a crater. Advertisement Now ispace is targeting the first week of June for Resilience's touchdown. The company's first lander crashed into the moon in 2023. The lander holds a mini rover equipped with a scoop to gather lunar dirt for analysis as well as other experiments.
