A fragment of the Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482, launched in 1972, is expected to crash back to Earth between 9 and 10 May, according to space agencies monitoring its re-entry.
The spacecraft, originally sent on a mission to Venus, failed to escape low Earth orbit and broke into four pieces. One of those fragments—believed to be the lander capsule—is predicted to re-enter the atmosphere around 09:16 BST on 10 May, though timing could vary by several hours.
The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA have confirmed that while much of the object will likely burn up, a part of it could survive due to its durable, heat-resistant design built to withstand Venus's harsh environment. The capsule, about a metre wide and weighing nearly half a tonne, could land anywhere between 51.7° north and south latitude—a zone that includes most of the inhabited world, from London in the north to the southern tip of South America.
Despite this, experts emphasize the risk to people is extremely low. "It's much more likely that you win the lottery than that you get impacted by this piece of space debris," said Stijn Lemmens, Senior Space Debris Mitigation Analyst at ESA.
Originally fitted with a parachute system to aid its descent on Venus, the lander's equipment is expected to have long since degraded after over 50 years in orbit.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European ...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was st...
Russia’s first State Duma election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine is testing the country’s political system as voters c...
Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks by the Iran-aligned group deepen regional tensions.
Russian air strikes injured 13 and damaged buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port city of Odesa in the early hours of Thursday, officials said on the Telegram messaging app.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped the war against Iran was nearing its end and that Tehran wanted to reach a deal, but Iran dismissed his comments as “mixed signals” as the conflict approaches its seventh month.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russia’s first State Duma election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine is testing the country’s political system as voters choose a new parliament amid wartime and economic pressures.
From Russia’s parliamentary election and Germany’s regional votes to the U.S. midterms, several major elections are taking place in September and November of 2026. Meanwhile, Sweden has already voted, with parties now negotiating to form a new government.
Pakistan has described the situation around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as “exceptionally serious”, calling for dialogue and diplomacy as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia intensify.
Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are taking “concrete steps” to make a recently signed joint defence pact operational, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment