Kosmos 482 probe re-entry - 10 May 2025

[Pierre_C]

For interest, the Kosmos probe is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at around 4pm AEST today (+/- 3 hours). While the exact location is uncertain, some of the potential path crosses over Australia.

ABC News:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-05-08/kosmos-482-tracking-data-soviet-venus-space-probe-atmosphere/105269940
(https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-05-08/kosmos-482-tracking-data-soviet-venus-space-probe-atmosphere/105269940)
The Aerospace Corporation re-entry window prediction:
https://aerospace.org/reentries/6073

Heavens Above tracking:
https://www.heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?satid=6073&lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT (https://www.heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?satid=6073&lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT)

[Pierre_C]

From current predictions, if it re-enters earlier, it might be seen over Canberra, southwest of Sydney, northeast Melbourne or northeast of Adelaide at around 3:10pm AEST. If it re-enters later, it might be seen northeast of Perth at around 2:30pm AWST.

[goober]

Europe looks right in the firing line, then over Russia and through India. Western Australia around 0650 UTC.

[sn1987a]

I didn't see anything here in Perth just now:shrug:

[Orion31]

My wife and I were out in SW Sydney looking but total cloud cover here:eyepop:

[kvmx]

I was tracking it online and it passed by Melbourne too low and too southwards for it to be spotted at it's closest pass about 10 minutes ago... :sadeyes::sadeyes::sadeyes:


We had such nice clear skies here too!! Oh well, at least there's a nice night of observing to be had as a consolation LOL :lol::lol:

[Pierre_C]

An ESA blog suggests the probe is now down:

https://blogs.esa.int/rocketscience/2025/05/07/reentry-prediction-soviet-era-venera-venus-lander-cosmos-482-descent-craft/

[kvmx]

https://blogs.esa.int/rocketscience/2025/05/07/reentry-prediction-soviet-era-venera-venus-lander-cosmos-482-descent-craft/

Sounds like it probably reentered somewhere between the last ping over Germany at 0604 UTC and the estimated next pass at 0732 UTC. I've read a report on Telegram (https://t.me/roscosmos_gk/17407) which I then asked ChatGPT to translate. Not sure if this is an official ROSCOSMOS account. I definitely trust the ESA post more than I trust a Telegram post.

[Pierre_C]

If the Russian report is correct, it looks like it went down before it got to Western Australia.

The Aerospace Corporation had updated their re-entry prediction map to something similar.

https://aerospace.org/reentries/6073