A Forgotten Soviet Probe Sent to Venus 52 Years Ago Is About to Fall Back to Earth

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Introduction:

The news topic “A Forgotten Soviet Probe Sent to Venus 52 Years Ago Is About to Fall Back to Earth” has drawn international attention, with various media outlets providing diverse insights, historical context, political stances, and on-the-ground developments. Below is a curated overview of how different countries and media organizations have covered this topic recently.

Quick Summary:

• The Kosmos 482 spacecraft was launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union. It was intended to explore Venus, but a malfunction during its launch left it stranded in orbit around Earth. Now, after 53 years, the spacecraft is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere sometime around May 10, 2025. The exact landing site remains uncertain, but it is projected to occur somewhere between 51.7° north and south latitude, covering vast portions of North America, Europe, and South America. This broad potential landing zone includes densely populated regions like the United States and southern England. The spacecraft was specifically designed to withstand the extreme heat caused by re-entry, and was built to endure much harsher conditions than most spacecraft and debris that would burn up on re- entry. The largest fragment of the spacecraft, thought to be the lander probe, is also expected to land on Earth.
• Kosmos 482 was launched from the Soviet Union on March 31, 1972, bound for Venus. The spacecraft broke into several pieces, with the would-be Venusian lander kicked into a high-Earth orbit. Two other pieces re-entered the atmosphere and, thanks to their titanium construction, managed to strike Earth without burning up. Between 1961 and 1989, 37 attempts were made to land on Venus, with less than 60 per cent succeeding. The first attempt by the U.S. in 1962 was the first successful landing of a probe on the planet, but it was too late by the time it reached the planet’s surface. The last attempt was by the Soviets in 1972, but the mission failed to reach the planet. It was the last of the Soviet space probes to fall back to Earth, and the only one to do so in the last 50 years.
• Kosmos 482 Descent Craft has a forecast reentry of 4:37am BST on Saturday and 8:37pm PT on Friday. The failed Venus probe has been stuck in low Earth orbit since its launch in 1972. It is just one of roughly 35,000 pieces of space debris, measuring more than 10cm in size, which are being tracked by experts. The spacecraft is expected to hit Earth at a staggering speed of 17,000mph – which Langbroek likened to a meteorite impact. London, alongside other major cities, from New York to Beijing, could be in possible danger from its fiery descent through the atmosphere on 10 May. The projected landing zone covers an enormous area on both sides of the equator, including Australia, South America, Africa, as well as parts of Europe, North America and Asia. The hunk of space junk is 3ft-wide and 495kg in weight, but is unlikely to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.

Country-by-Country Breakdown:

Original Coverage

The Kosmos 482 spacecraft was launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union. It was intended to explore Venus, but a malfunction during its launch left it stranded in orbit around Earth. Now, after 53 years, the spacecraft is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere sometime around May 10, 2025. The exact landing site remains uncertain, but it is projected to occur somewhere between 51.7° north and south latitude, covering vast portions of North America, Europe, and South America. This broad potential landing zone includes densely populated regions like the United States and southern England. The spacecraft was specifically designed to withstand the extreme heat caused by re-entry, and was built to endure much harsher conditions than most spacecraft and debris that would burn up on re- entry. The largest fragment of the spacecraft, thought to be the lander probe, is also expected to land on Earth. Read full article

Soviet space probe might hit Canada after 53 years of trying to reach Venus

Kosmos 482 was launched from the Soviet Union on March 31, 1972, bound for Venus. The spacecraft broke into several pieces, with the would-be Venusian lander kicked into a high-Earth orbit. Two other pieces re-entered the atmosphere and, thanks to their titanium construction, managed to strike Earth without burning up. Between 1961 and 1989, 37 attempts were made to land on Venus, with less than 60 per cent succeeding. The first attempt by the U.S. in 1962 was the first successful landing of a probe on the planet, but it was too late by the time it reached the planet’s surface. The last attempt was by the Soviets in 1972, but the mission failed to reach the planet. It was the last of the Soviet space probes to fall back to Earth, and the only one to do so in the last 50 years. Read full article

Soviet spaceship set to crash into Earth at 17,000mph on Saturday as map shows impact zone for doomed 500kg Venus probe

Kosmos 482 Descent Craft has a forecast reentry of 4:37am BST on Saturday and 8:37pm PT on Friday. The failed Venus probe has been stuck in low Earth orbit since its launch in 1972. It is just one of roughly 35,000 pieces of space debris, measuring more than 10cm in size, which are being tracked by experts. The spacecraft is expected to hit Earth at a staggering speed of 17,000mph – which Langbroek likened to a meteorite impact. London, alongside other major cities, from New York to Beijing, could be in possible danger from its fiery descent through the atmosphere on 10 May. The projected landing zone covers an enormous area on both sides of the equator, including Australia, South America, Africa, as well as parts of Europe, North America and Asia. The hunk of space junk is 3ft-wide and 495kg in weight, but is unlikely to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. Read full article

What to Know About Kosmos-482, a Soviet Spacecraft Returning to Earth After 53 Years – The New York Times

Kosmos-482 launched in March 1972 and was meant to land on the surface of Venus. Instead, a rocket malfunction left it stranded in Earth orbit. Experts don’t yet know where it may come down. It is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere by the end of this weekend. The risk of any injuries on the ground is low, experts say. The spacecraft, weighing roughly 1,050 pounds, was designed to survive its plunge through the toxic Venusian atmosphere. That means there’s a good chance it will survive its dive through this one, and could make it to the surface at least partly intact. The predicted days of re-entry are currently Friday or Saturday, but the New York Times will provide updated estimates as they are revised. The mission was supported by the U.S. Air Force and the Soviet Union. Read full article

Old Soviet Venus lander’s fall to Earth will be no ordinary space junk crash. Here’s why

Kosmos 482 was part of the Soviet Union’s storied Venera program of Venus exploration. The probe launched toward the second planet from the sun in 1972 but never got there. Most recent forecasts have the spacecraft returning to Earth around 4 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT) on Saturday (May 10) The craft’s orbital inclination is 52 degrees, so the craft’s reentry will occur between 52 degrees north latitude and 52 degrees south.”It likely will be a hard impact: I doubt the parachute deployment system will still work after 53 years and with dead batteries,” says Dutch satellite tracker Marco Langbroek.”As this is a lander that was designed to survive passage through the Venus atmosphere, it is possible that it will survive reentry through the Earth atmosphere intact, and impact intact,” Langbroeks says. “There are many uncertain factors in whether the lander will survive,” he adds. Read full article

What to Know About the Soviet Spacecraft Plunging to Earth

Kosmos 482 is a 1,100-lb Venus spacecraft that has been stuck in Earth orbit since 1972. It arrived at Venus on July 22, 1972, spent close to an hour descending through the atmosphere, and landed at 6:24 a.m. local Venus time. The atmospheric pressure is 93 times greater than it is on Earth, with a sea level pressure of 1,350 pounds per square inch (psi) compared to just 14.7 psi here. The air is mostly carbon dioxide, which, together with Venus’s greater proximity to the sun, means an average temperature 860°F—or more than 200 degrees hotter than the melting point of lead. It’s been decades since the Russians bothered with Venus, but this week, an artifact from that long-ago space program may very well bother us. The probe could potentially threaten anyone on Earth living between 52° North and 52° South of the equator. Read full article

A Soviet Spacecraft Is Falling Back To Earth – There’s Just One Problem

Kosmos 482 is part of a Venus lander that was sent into orbit in 1972 and has been stuck there ever since. The spacecraft’s mission to Venus failed, unlike the sister mission, Venera 8, which successfully had a Venus landing in July 1972. At this point, it’s believed that a crash-landing is likely and could happen anywhere between 52 degrees north and south of the equator, experts said. If it remains intact and makes contact with the Earth’s surface, it could create an impact similar to the one caused by the Voyager 2 explosion in 1986. The likeliest time for re-entry is early-morning May 10 Eastern Time, but it could fall back to Earth any time between May 9 and 11, based on his current projections. It weighs about 1,100 pounds, according to NASA, and is nearly the size of a small car. Read full article

Global Perspectives Summary:

Global media portray this story through varied cultural, economic, and political filters. While some focus on geopolitical ramifications, others highlight local impacts and human stories. Some nations frame the story around diplomatic tensions and international relations, while others examine domestic implications, public sentiment, or humanitarian concerns. This diversity of coverage reflects how national perspectives, media freedom, and journalistic priorities influence what the public learns about global events.

How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.

Sources:

• Original Article
• Soviet space probe might hit Canada after 53 years of trying to reach Venus
• Soviet spaceship set to crash into Earth at 17,000mph on Saturday as map shows impact zone for doomed 500kg Venus probe
• What to Know About Kosmos-482, a Soviet Spacecraft Returning to Earth After 53 Years – The New York Times
• Old Soviet Venus lander’s fall to Earth will be no ordinary space junk crash. Here’s why
• What to Know About the Soviet Spacecraft Plunging to Earth
• A Soviet Spacecraft Is Falling Back To Earth – There’s Just One Problem

Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/05/a-forgotten-soviet-probe-sent-to-venus-52-years-ago-is-about-to-fall-back-to-earth/