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Ground-based optical observations of the orbital debris environment
COSMOS 482 DESCENT CRAFT (ID 6073)
NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 1972-023A
10 May, 2025. Aerospace Corporation predicted reentry time: 06:29 UTC ± 2 hours.
10 May, 2025. ESA predicted reentry time: 06:16 UTC (08:16 CEST) ± 0.36 hours.
Launched by the Soviet Union in March 1972 to visit Venus, the Cosmos 482 lander never made it out of orbit. Shortly after entering space, the Cosmos spacecraft broke into multiple pieces, and more than 50 years later, the probe is making a final descent this week through Earth’s atmosphere to return home.
The orbit of the Cosmos 482 lander probe is decaying and it is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere some time from 9 May to 10 May, 2025, centered on roughly 10 May at 07:30 UTC. Because the probe was designed to withstand entry into the Venus atmosphere, it is possible the probe will survive reentry at Earth and reach the surface.
The Cosmos 482 spacecraft comprised a carrier bus and lander probe with a total launch mass of 1184 kg. The lander probe was an insulated spherical pressure vessel with a mass of 495 kg, of similar design to the Venera 7 probe. It had a top shell that would be jettisoned on atmospheric entry to deploy the 2.5 square meter parachute and expose the antenna and instruments.
Museum replica of the Venera 8 descent craft. (Source: NASA)
COSMOS 482 DESCENT CRAFT, 6073 ground tracks simulation in JSatTrak satellite tracking program from 8 May, 2025 07:17 UTC to 11 May, 2025 11:17 UTC. Simulation was made on 5 May.
COSMOS 482 DESCENT CRAFT, 6073 latest ground tracks simulation in JSatTrak satellite tracking program. Aerospace Corporation latest predicted reentry time: 10 May 2025 06:29 UTC ± 2 hours. ESA predicted reentry time: 06:16 UTC (08:16 CEST) ± 0.36 hours. Ground station location near Novi Sad, Serbia. Early reports indicate the object may have crashed in the western Indian Ocean or the Pacific Ocean.
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