Reentry of Defunct Soviet Spacecraft Scheduled for This Month
Alright, mate, let's dive into something folks are buzzin' about - the return of a Soviet-era spacecraft! Launched back in 1972, this bad boy, named Kosmos 482, was originally meant to touch down on Venus. But, what a bummer, it never left Earth's orbit due to a bloody rocket malfunction. You know, the usual space stuff.
Ever since then, ol' Kosmos has been slowly dropping altitude in a funky, elliptical orbit around our planet. Now, here's where things get interesting - Dutch scientist, Marco Langbroek, from the Delft University of Technology, has been keeping an eye on this cosmic relic and predicts it'll reenter Earth's atmosphere around May 10, 2023, with a speed of approximately 150 mph. Talk about a down-to-earth comeback, eh?
Now, don't sweat it, folks. While it's a pretty big piece of space junk, the risk of it causing any real damage is about as likely as getting whacked by a meteorite or struck by lightning in your lifetime. Chances are it'll find its way into some ocean, thanks to our watery planet covering most of the surface.
But, here's the catch - due to Kosmos' crazy orbit, we can't pinpoint exactly where it'll come down. It could be as far north as Edmonton or London, or as far south as the islands off Chile or New Zealand. So, keep an eye to the skies, but don't start building any doomsday bunkers just yet!
Oh, and by the way, some folks have spotted a parachute-like object near its predicted path recently. Whether that's related to Kosmos or not remains a mystery - but with a reentry like this, who knows what we might find?
- Netherlands-based scientist Marco Langbroek, from the Delft University of Technology, has likely predicted the reentry of the Soviet-era spacecraft, Kosmos 482, into Earth's atmosphere around May 10, 2023, with a speed of approximately 150 mph.
- Despite the size of Kosmos as a piece of space junk, the risk of it causing significant damage is as likely as experiencing a meteorite impact or lightning strike during one's lifetime.
- Given its unpredictable orbit, experts cannot precisely determine where Kosmos will come down, with potential impact locations ranging from as far north as Edmonton or London to as far south as the islands off Chile or New Zealand.
- Lately, parachute-like objects have been observed near Kosmos's predicted path, though the relationship between these objects and the spacecraft remains unknown—adding to the intrigue surrounding its unique reentry.
