Look up! Is it a bird? An airplane? Nope, it’s a piece of Soviet-era spacecraft—originally intended for a Venus mission in the ’70s.
That’s the concern from experts.
According to a report, it’s still unclear where this hefty metal object will land or how much of it will withstand the descent.
Dutch scientist Marco Langlock expects it to re-enter around May 10th.
Langbroke reassured, “It’s not without dangers, but you shouldn’t be overly concerned,” in an email to the news outlet. The report elaborated:
Even if the debris is relatively small and remains intact, “the chances are akin to those of being struck by a random meteorite, which happen annually. In fact, you’re more likely to be hit by lightning at some point in your life,” he stated.
While he noted that the spacecraft could hit someone—or something—small, he added, “That can’t be completely dismissed.”
The spacecraft, dubbed Cosmos 482, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1972 as part of its Venus exploration efforts. Unfortunately, it never made it past Earth’s orbit due to a rocket failure.
It seems quite possible that a spacecraft weighing over 1,000 pounds will not only re-enter but that a significant portion of it might survive.
So, where will it land?
A historic image of the rocket launch, Soviet Artists Communist Party, 1962 (Photo by Pierce Archive LLC/BuyEnlarge by Getty Images)
The spacecraft is expected to re-enter close to coordinates 51.7°N and 51.7°S, roughly over London, Edmonton in Alberta, or Cape Horn in South America.
However, given that much of the Earth’s surface is water, “the chances aren’t all that bad.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
