Soviet-era spacecraft set to plunge to Earth half-century after failed launch to Venus…

By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An old Soviet spacecraft that was intended to land on Venus in the 1970s is expected to soon re-enter Earth’s atmosphere uncontrollably. Experts tracking space debris say it is too early to predict where the half-ton metal mass might land or how much of it will survive re-entry.

Dutch scientist Marco Langbroek forecasts that the failed spacecraft will re-enter around May 10, potentially crashing down at 150 mph (242 kph) if it remains intact. Despite the risks, Langbroek mentioned that there is no need to be overly concerned.

The spacecraft, known as Kosmos 482, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1972 but never made it out of Earth’s orbit due to a rocket malfunction. Most of it disintegrated within a decade, but experts believe the landing capsule, a spherical object about 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter, has been in orbit for the past 53 years.

There is a possibility that the spacecraft, weighing over 1,000 pounds (nearly 500 kilograms), could survive re-entry, though doubts remain about the functionality of its parachute system and heat shield after so many years in space.

The spacecraft could re-enter anywhere between 51.7 degrees north and south latitude, possibly ending up in an ocean due to the Earth’s vast water coverage.