USSR-launched spacecraft clashes into Indian Ocean
(MENAFN) A Soviet spacecraft, Kosmos 482, launched in 1972, has re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and fallen into the Indian Ocean, according to Russia's space agency Roscosmos. The probe had been orbiting Earth for over 50 years after its original mission to Venus failed.
Roscosmos reported that the spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere on Saturday morning and landed west of Jakarta, Indonesia. The descent was closely monitored by the Automated Warning System for Hazardous Situations in Near-Earth Space. No damages or injuries were reported.
Kosmos 482 was launched on March 31, 1972, as part of the Soviet Union’s Venus exploration program. However, a malfunction in the upper stage of its launch vehicle prevented the spacecraft from escaping Earth’s gravity, leaving it in an elliptical orbit instead. The probe’s lander module, built with a durable titanium shell to withstand Venus’ harsh environment, raised the possibility that some parts of the spacecraft could survive re-entry.
The Soviet Union's Venera program, which ran from 1961 to the early 1980s, made significant advancements in planetary exploration, including sending the first spacecraft to transmit data from the surface of Venus in 1970 and sending the first images from Venus' surface in 1975. The program successfully landed multiple probes on Venus, providing valuable insights into the planet’s atmosphere and surface conditions.
Roscosmos also noted that thousands of defunct spacecraft continue to orbit Earth, with 1,981 space objects re-entering the atmosphere in the past year. While approximately five objects fall to Earth daily, material damage and injuries remain rare.
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