A former Soviet spacecraft is predicted to crash back to Earth this week. Weighing approximately 453 kg, Kosmos 482 will reenter the planet's atmosphere around May 10, CNN reported.
Launched in 1972, Kosmos 482 malfunctioned on its way to Venus. An issue with a timer resulted in an early engine shutdown, trapping the Soviet spacecraft in Earth's orbit for over half a century.
With the aircraft now set to crash down, scientists are unsure which part of it will reenter the Earth. Some think it will be the probe, also known as the "entry capsule."
The majority of space debris and meteors, which frequently veer toward a crash-landing on Earth, break apart due to friction and pressure as they strike the planet's dense atmosphere while travelling thousands of miles per hour.
Cosmos 482, being a Soviet reentry capsule, is expected to be equipped with a substantial heat shield. It was designed to survive the extreme temperature and pressure of landing on Venus.
The spacecraft "might well survive Earth atmosphere entry and hit the ground," wrote Dr. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist and astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, on his website.
He added, "The risk of the object hitting people on the ground is likely minimal, and there's no need for major concern, but you wouldn't want it bashing you on the head."
According to scientists, Cosmos 482 may land within 52 degrees north or south of the equator. Even if the area contains a large portion of the ocean, entire countries are still vulnerable to an uncontrolled spacecraft crashing down on their territory.
Since a lot of the Earth is covered by oceans, scientists are optimistic that it will land in water. However, no one is certain about it.
If Cosmos 482 hits dry land, it's important that onlookers avoid touching the debris. Dangerous fuel leaks or other damage to humans and property might occur from the outdated spaceship.
