53-Year Orbit Ends as Soviet Venus Probe Kosmos 482 Returns to Earth

Kosmos 482, a Venus-landing capsule from the Soviet Venera program launched in 1972, failed at launch and spent 53 years in Earth orbit before re-entering on 10 May 2025; its titanium descent capsule, built to withstand Venus’ extreme conditions, may have survived re-entry and landed in the eastern Indian Ocean, though no debris has been confirmed; it stands as the last surviving relic of the Soviet Venus program and a remarkable twist in space history.