Venus' Unreached Dream: Soviet Station "Kosmos-482" Set to Return to Earth on May 9-10

The Soviet interplanetary station "Kosmos-482," a vessel that began its journey towards Venus in 1972 but never reached its celestial destination, is anticipated to fall back to Earth on May 9-10. The risk of any resulting damage is described as remarkably small, according to RIA Novosti, citing information from the Roscosmos press service.

"According to ballistic projections, "Kosmos-482" is expected to pierce the thick atmospheric layers on May 9-10. The craft measures about a meter across and weighs less than 500 kg, rendering it nearly six times lighter than the Soyuz descent capsule that carries crews safely back to our planet," the communication stated.

Launched with the aim of reaching Venus in 1972, the station was prevented from achieving its interplanetary course by an anomaly in its booster, leaving it instead in a high, elongated orbit. Over the decades, the subtle drag from the outer reaches of the atmosphere has steadily drawn its orbit closer to Earth.

The state corporation underscored that the likelihood of any harm from the descent of "Kosmos-482" is remarkably slim. The path of the apparatus is under constant surveillance by both Russian and international tracking assets, and the precise location of its atmospheric entry is being refined as its orbital altitude diminishes.

As explained by Roscosmos, the space surrounding our planet is home to a multitude of retired spacecraft. In the past year alone, 1981 cosmic entities, encompassing both natural and human-made origins, entered the atmosphere.

"Essentially, the Earth receives approximately five descending objects daily, with one in every seven exceeding 500 kg in mass. We can witness these events in the night sky as 'shooting stars.' Cases of material damage are isolated, and there have been no reports of injuries to individuals," the press service highlighted.