A Soviet-era spacecraft from the 1970s, originally intended for a mission to Venus, is expected to make an uncontrolled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere between May 7 and 13, 2025, with a higher probability around May 10 .
Launched on March 31, 1972, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the Kosmos 482 probe failed to leave Earth’s orbit due to a rocket malfunction, remaining in orbit for over 50 years .
The landing module, designed to withstand Venus’s extreme atmospheric conditions, weighs approximately 495 kg and could survive reentry, impacting Earth’s surface at an estimated speed of about 242 km/h .
Experts, including Dutch scientist Marco Langbroek, are closely monitoring the reentry trajectory. While the risk to the population is considered low, it is not entirely negligible .
The potential impact area includes regions between 52Β° north and south latitude, covering much of the globe. However, given the predominance of oceans on Earth’s surface, it is more likely that the debris will fall into the sea .
International space agencies, including NASA and the European Space Agency, continue to monitor the situation to provide timely updates.