Cosmos 482, a 1972 Soviet spacecraft, is set to return to Earth this week
A spacecraft launched in 1972 and failed to enter Venus is set to return to Earth sometime this week.
The Soviet-era spacecraft was meant to be a Venus probe. However, it failed to escape low Earth orbit, according to NASA.
On Monday, NASA said that Cosmos 482 will return to Earth sometime between Wednesday, May 7, and May 13. The spacecraft is expected to start descending on Saturday, May 10.
The space agency said that since the probe was designed to withstand entry into Venus' atmosphere, it is possible that parts of it will survive reentry.
Here is what to know about Cosmos 482.
What was Cosmos 482
The name Cosmos (or Kosmos) was given to Soviet spacecraft that remained in Earth's orbit beginning in 1962, regardless of whether that was their intended final destination, according to NASA.
The space agency points to evidence from Soviet and non-Soviet sources and historical documents to substantiate its belief that Cosmos 482 was intended to reach Venus.
The probe was launched four days after the Venera 8 atmospheric probe that made it to Venus and had an identical design, NASA said.
Soviet planetary missions were initially put into Earth's orbit as a launch platform with a rocket engine and attached probe, according to NASA. The probes were then launched toward their targets with an engine burn that lasted roughly four minutes.
Cosmos 482 separated into four pieces, with two decaying in low Earth orbit within 48 hours and the remaining in higher orbit. It is thought that a malfunction during the engine burn left the craft unable to reach the velocity needed to escape orbit and reach Venus, according to NASA.
Could Cosmos 482 hit something?
Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard & Smithsonian, told NPR that the probe is in its "final death plunge".
"There's a not-trivial chance that it could hit somewhere where it damages property, and there's a small chance − but it's like 1 in thousands − that it could hurt someone," he said.
More: What time is the ETA Aquarids? Here's when to see meteor shower in Texas
Source: USAToday
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Cosmos 482, a 1972 Soviet spacecraft, is set to return to Earth this week
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NASA Wants to Bring Livestreams to Netflix
Starting in summer 2025, Netflix will expand its offerings with an unusual collaboration: The U.S. space agency NASA will bring its livestream program NASA+ to the streaming platform. With a new partnership, NASA is taking another step to make its content accessible to a global audience: Starting in summer 2025, NASA+'s live programming will also be available on Netflix. The partnership with Netflix expands this offering with additional reach–especially on devices where the NASA app was previously unavailable. The NASA+ livestreams will soon appear on the regular Netflix interface, right alongside series and movies. Users will be able to stream real-time broadcasts of missions, spacewalks, and spectacular views of Earth from 400 kilometers above. Rocket launches will also be regularly available live. There is no additional cost for users; the offering is included in all Netflix subscriptions and is ad-free. NASA aims to strengthen interest in science and space exploration through this partnership. 'Our mission is to tell the story of space exploration to the widest possible audience,' explains Rebecca Sirmons, General Manager of NASA+. The partnership with Netflix is a step into a 'golden era of innovation and discovery,' Sirmons adds. For years, the agency has relied on audiovisual content to showcase its work. The new presence on Netflix is intended to elevate this approach to a new level. For Netflix, the collaboration with NASA also means an expansion of its live offerings. The streaming service has increasingly invested in live formats such as sports broadcasts and show events in recent months. The NASA+ livestreams fit into this strategy and simultaneously open up a new thematic field. Also read: Netflix Reveals All New Releases for July Another advantage of the Netflix integration is broader device availability. While the NASA app is available on platforms like iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV, it has been missing on gaming consoles and certain smart TVs. By integrating with Netflix, users of such devices can access NASA content without additional app installation or registration. Specific launch dates and program details for NASA+ livestreams on Netflix will be announced in the coming weeks. Netflix mentions only that NASA+ content will be available by the end of the summer. Until then, access to NASA+ remains available through the agency's website and official apps. However, the partnership with Netflix already marks a significant step in making space exploration more visible to a global audience. The post NASA Wants to Bring Livestreams to Netflix appeared first on TECHBOOK.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Trump's tax bill would send an iconic Smithsonian spacecraft to Texas
The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum could lose the iconic Discovery space shuttle to Houston if a pair of Texas senators get their way. President Donald Trump's massive tax and immigration bill passed the Senate on Tuesday with language effectively ordering the shuttle's move to Texas. It would set aside $85 million to transport Discovery and construct a home for it at Space Center Houston, the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center — which itself oversaw more than 100 shuttle launches over two decades.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
It's Aphelion Day, When Earth Is Farthest From The Sun. Here's Why
Earth is today at aphelion, farthest from the sun in 2025. Earth is today at aphelion, the point in its orbit at which it is farthest from the sun. That means less radiation from the sun, which will look its smallest in the sky in 2025. Meanwhile, states in the Midwest are facing high temperatures as summer's first heat wave hits. How can that make sense? Here's what you need to know about Earth's orbit of the sun and how it does — and doesn't — affect seasons. Aphelion 2025: Earth's Orbit Of The Sun Earth orbits the sun in a slight ellipse — an egg shape. There's a point when it's farthest from the sun (aphelion) and when it's closest to the sun (perihelion). At 3:54 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 3, our planet will reach aphelion. It will be 94.5 million miles (152 million kilometers) from the sun. Six months ago, on Jan. 4 — aphelion — that gap was 3.4% smaller, at 91.5 million miles (147 million kilometers) from the sun. A comparison of the Sun with Earth at perihelion (closest to the Sun) vs. the Sun with Earth near ... More aphelion (farthest from the Sun). Aphelion And The Sun On Jan. 4, Earth received its maximum radiation from the sun, which was at its largest in the sky for 2025. The difference isn't huge — the sun today appears to be a mere arcminute (1/60th of a degree) smaller than at its perihelion. The word aphelion comes from the Greek words apo (meaning away) and helios (meaning sun). Aphelion 2025: Earth's Tilted Axis Although it may seem counterintuitive for where you live to be suffering a heatwave while the Earth is farthest from the sun, remember that the Earth is not only a globe, but it also rotates on a tilted axis. Its 23.4-degree tilt determines the seasons by changing how different parts of the planet receive different amounts of sunlight throughout one orbit of the sun. The Northern Hemisphere is currently titled towards the sun, so it gets more (and more intense) sunlight for longer than the Southern Hemisphere, which is now tilted away from the sun and has shorter, colder days. The position of Earth at aphelion and perihelion. Aphelion And Seasons Not that aphelion has zero effect on the seasons. Planets move faster at perihelion and slower at aphelion, according to NASA. Since the June solstice occurs close to aphelion, summer in the Northern Hemisphere lasts a few days longer than summer in the Southern Hemisphere. The difference is about four days, although this year's Northern Hemisphere summer is 15 minutes shorter than in 2024 — thanks to the gravitational influence of the sun, the moon, and Jupiter, causing our orbital path to change ever so slightly. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
