One of the most unique Soviet spacecraft has now returned to earth. After 53 years in orbit, the probe crashed harmlessly into the Indian Ocean early Saturday morning, at 2:24 a.m. EDT (6:24 a.m. GMT). The incident was confirmed by Russia’s space agency Roscosmos on Roscosmos’ Telegram channel. This announcement brings to a close a mission that began at the height of the Space Race.
Kosmos 482 was launched in 1972 from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome as part of the Soviet Union’s ambitious Venera program. Designed as a sister probe to Venera 8, its primary mission was to gather scientific data from Venus. A failure in the upper stage of the Soyuz rocket booster aborted its mission. Thus, Kosmos 482 became marooned in an earth orbit, with its long homed trajectory to Venus forsaken.
And for decades Kosmos 482 stayed in orbit, a memento of that first Space Race. The craft physically dwarfs its predecessor, with its stunning weight of 1,091 pounds (495 kilograms). It includes a 3-foot (1 meter) lander, designed to survive the extreme environment of Venus’ atmosphere. Kosmos 482 never completed the mission it was intended to undertake. It had an incredible amount of time spent in space, providing unparalleled knowledge on the difficult road traveled by first-space missions.
The spacecraft ultimately deorbited and broke up on re-entry into multiple pieces, including the orbiter body and lander. Smoke billows from the site of the crash, discovered west of Jakarta, Indonesia. It is located at least 5,000 miles (8,000 km) away from the place it was first launched from. Specialists are hopeful that if Kosmos 482 is recovered, it could still be in reasonably good condition, even after its fiery reentry.
The Aerospace Corporation sought to assuage public concerns about risks from the crash.
“While the risk is nonzero, any one individual on Earth is far likelier to be struck by lightning than to be injured by Cosmos 482.” – The Aerospace Corporation
This statement serves as an indication of the very low probability that debris will ever result in injury or damage to individuals, property, or structures below.
Kosmos 482 is beautiful on her return, completing a journey over three decades long. At the same time, this event celebrates all the dramatic changes in space exploration that we’ve accomplished over the last 50 years. As such, the mission continues to remind us of the technological promise and peril that the earliest aspirants of space faced in their own programs.
“The Kosmos-482 spacecraft ceased to exist, deorbiting and falling into the Indian Ocean.” – Roscosmos
As scientists and historians reflect on the significance of Kosmos 482, they recognize its role in paving the way for modern space exploration. The spacecraft’s legacy will no doubt continue to inform future missions, which one day may return to exploring Venus and perhaps even beyond.
As scientists and historians reflect on the significance of Kosmos 482, they recognize its role in paving the way for modern space exploration. The spacecraft’s legacy will likely continue to inform future missions aimed at exploring Venus and beyond.
