Soviet Spacecraft Kosmos 482 Crashes to Earth After 53 Years

A Soviet-era spacecraft called Kosmos 482 has crashed on Earth after 53 years “stuck in orbit,” according to The Associated Press. According to the AP, both the Russian Space Agency and the …
What happened to Kosmos 482?

Launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union, the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 was part of a series of missions bound for Venus. But this one never made it out of orbit around Earth, stranded there by a rocket malfunction. Much of the spacecraft came tumbling back to Earth within a decade of the failed launch.

What is Kosmos 482?

The object, referred to as Cosmos 482 or Kosmos 482, is believed to be a capsule launched by the Soviet Union in March 1972 that failed en route to a transfer orbit that would have taken it to Venus to study its environment. In the decades since, the object has circled Earth aimlessly as it was slowly dragged back toward home.

Was Kosmos 482 stranded?

Designed to land on the surface of Venus, Kosmos-482 may have remained intact during its plunge. It splashed down in the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia, Roscosmos said. Kosmos-482 was launched on March 31, 1972, but became stranded in Earth’s orbit after one of its rocket boosters shut down prematurely.

When did Kosmos 482 go to Venus?

Kosmos-482, a spacecraft bound for Venus in 1972, was a time capsule from the Cold War when superpowers had broad ambitions for exploring the solar system. A cutaway diagram of the Venera 8 landing capsule, which launched at about the same time as Kosmos-482 and successfully completed its mission to Venus.

Where did Kosmos 422 land?

Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era spacecraft launched in 1972, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere Saturday after over 50 years in orbit. Russia claimed it landed in the Indian Ocean, but the European Space Agency questioned the exact location after it failed to appear on German radar, highlighting uncertainties surrounding its descent.

Why is the Kosmos 482 re-entry so unique?

The Kosmos-482 re-entry, while unique for historical reasons, is not that unusual. Today, nations and companies are launching still more hardware into orbit, leaving no shortage of objects falling from the sky.