Soviet-era spacecraft plunges to Earth after 53 years stuck

A Soviet-era spacecraft, Kosmos 482, plunges to Earth's atmosphere on Saturday, more than 50 years after its failed launch to Venus, with its fiery descent tracked by both Russian and European space agencies.

Kosmos 482, a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1972, re-entered Earth's atmosphere on Saturday, more than 50 years after its mission to Venus was thwarted by a rocket malfunction. The spacecraft's uncontrolled descent was monitored by both the Russian Space Agency and European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking.

Although the Russian Space Agency confirmed the spacecraft's re-entry over the Indian Ocean, some experts remained uncertain about the exact location. The European Space Agency also followed the spacecraft's descent, noting that it failed to be detected over a German radar station.

It remains unclear whether any part of the half-ton spacecraft survived the re-entry, though experts had warned that some fragments might reach Earth given the spacecraft's design to withstand the extreme heat of Venus. The chances of anyone being harmed by the debris were described as extremely low.

Kosmos 482 was part of a Soviet mission series to Venus, but it failed to escape Earth's orbit after a rocket malfunction. The spacecraft's spherical lander, measuring about 3 feet in diameter and weighing over 1,000 pounds, was the last component to return to Earth. 

Despite the widespread tracking efforts, scientists and military experts were unable to pinpoint the spacecraft's exact landing site in advance. Factors such as solar activity and the spacecraft's deteriorating condition contributed to the uncertainty. 

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