Heads Up: A Soviet-Era Spaceship Is About to Crash Back to Earth — Maybe Into Your Backyard
A derelict spacecraft launched by the former Soviet Union in 1972 is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere this week — and it’s not your typical space junk. Unlike most debris that burns up in the atmosphere, this one might actually survive re-entry… and come crashing down in one piece.
Meet Cosmos 482, also known as Kosmos 482 by the Russians. Originally designed to land on Venus, this heavy-duty spacecraft was accidentally stranded in Earth’s orbit over 50 years ago. Now, it’s making its final descent — and it’s bringing all 1,091 pounds of reinforced Soviet engineering with it.
NASA forecasts that Cosmos 482 will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere sometime between May 7 and May 13, with the most likely crash date being May 10. And here’s the kicker: experts say it might not just burn up on the way down. This Venus lander was built to survive 300 Gs of acceleration and 100 atmospheres of pressure. Translation: it’s a flying tank — and it’s coming home.
So where will it land? Good question. The current projections are wide — it could hit anywhere from the United States, Mexico, South America, Africa, Europe… or yes, even your house. At this point, the best advice might be: don’t look up… unless you hear something coming.
Stay tuned — and maybe keep your insurance up to date.