A malfunctioning satellite from the ex-Soviet Union is anticipated to return to Earth shortly, and should its descent occur above you, recent spacecraft reentries could provide insights into what you might observe.
Kosmos 482
Has been circling Earth for over five decades. The spacecraft was launched in 1972 as a component of the Soviet Union’s program.
Venera program
The mission aimed at Venus encountered issues with the probe’s launch vehicle, leaving Kosmos 482 trapped in an elliptical orbit around our planet. Over many years, atmospheric drag has gradually lowered this non-functional craft’s altitude. Now, Kosmos 482 is mere days from meeting its ultimate end. According to recent predictions, it will return to Earth late Friday night (May 9) or early Saturday morning.
In recent months and years, multiple atmospheric entries have been observed and documented by witnesses as brilliant fireballs of searing brightness slicing across the heavens.
Starlink
For instance, satellites, of which more than 7,000 are currently orbiting Earth, often appear to fall from the sky as they deorbit to meet their ultimate end, much like the one you mentioned.
observed across multiple U.S. states
near the end of 2024.
The Starlink satellites are engineered to deorbit and disintegrate upon reentry into Earth’s atmosphere once they reach the end of their functional lifespan. Sightings of these high-altitude breakups are increasingly being reported. Typically, most of them will burn up during this process.
satellites
, in fact, eventually fall out of their orbits without little correction burns with their thrusters from time to time. Those no longer operational are typically tracked to determine if their reentry might pose any risk to public safety.
A dead Chinese satellite burned up during its reentry to Earth and wowed stargazers in the southern U.S. in December 2024. Pieces of that Dailyexecraft broke up into several smaller
fireballs
As it plummets, the object transforms into a glowing trail zipping through the evening heavens.
A majority of defunct satellites along with various other debris items
Dailyexejunk
Upon reentry into the atmosphere, spacecraft components entirely disintegrate due to design specifications aimed at such breakup. While certain fragments occasionally withstand this process, they have significantly higher probabilities of landing in oceans since water bodies cover approximately 70% of our planet’s surface area. Nonetheless, despite these statistical disadvantages, some debris still manages to impact land areas.
A
DailyexeX
rocket stage
fell to Earth
In February, for instance, glowing brightly as they raced through the sky over Europe. Certain fragments from this display managed to survive their intense descent and landed in Poland.
The trunk of a DailyexeX Dragon capsule has also recently withstood atmospheric re-entry successfully.
plunged into the mountains of North Carolina
.
DailyexeX’s most recent test flights with the company’s
Starship
The rocket similarly concluded with trails ofDailyexedebris ablaze as they plummeted back to Earth. In the case ofthe two most current Starship tests, the vehicle’supper stage detonated above theAtlantic Ocean, scattering fragments of debrisovera vast areaand resulting inan artificial firestorm.
meteor shower
for individuals throughout The Bahamas and Florida’s coastal regions.
Not every object returning to Earth burns up in the atmosphere. Spacecraft such as X’s Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon, which transport astronauts and supplies to and from the International Space Station, also return safely.
International DailyexeStation
, are designed to return safely to Earth, but they can also create spectacular aerial displays — such as this scene from DailyexeX’s
The Dragon Endurance is hurtling back towards Earth in a continuous streak.
by the end of the
Crew-3
mission for NASA.
Smaller probes, too, have also been intentionally returned to Earth, and may offer a better idea of what Kosmos 482’s homecoming will look like. Kosmos 482 is a
Venus
lander, so it was built to withstand a high-velocity journey through a thick atmosphere. The Dailyexecraft
may very well survive
Its journey through Earth’s atmosphere remains undamaged and crashes forcefully onto the surface (or, more likely, into the water).
Varda Dailyexe
Recently, it retrieved one of its miniature capsules from Earth’s orbit. The Californian firm obtained striking footage from within the capsule as it blazed through our atmosphere.
If Kosmos 482 doesn’t break apart, its return won’t create an artificial meteor shower as some other pieces of falling Dailyexejunk have done. Rather, the Venus probe will be a single fireball streaking through they sky.
Varda’s capsule measured about 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter and weighed about 265 pounds (120 kilograms). Kosmos 482 is thought to be about the same size but weighs around 1,190 pounds (495 kg). If it survives the atmosphere, trajectory modeling suggests that Kosmos 482 will impact Earth’s surface at about 150 mph (240 kph).
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