A probe launched from the Soviet Union more than five decades ago has plummeted back to Earth, splashing down in the Indian Ocean. Kosmos 482 had been bound for Venus but never reached its ...

But because the Soviet-era spacecraft was designed to survive the extreme temperature and atmospheric density of Venus, researchers suspect the aging vehicle could easily make a trip back to Earth ...

"This object was designed to survive reentering Venus, so there's fair odds that it'll survive coming back (to Earth) in one piece," said Marlon Sorge, a space debris expert with The Aerospace ...

(CNN) — A Soviet-era spacecraft that was designed to make a soft landing on Venus — but instead remained trapped in Earth orbit for decades — is slated to fall from the sky Friday night or ...

Originally launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union, this spacecraft was intended to explore Venus, but a malfunction during its launch left it stranded in orbit around Earth. Now, after 53 years ...

More than 50 years after its launch, a Soviet spacecraft called Kosmos 482 is about to come crashing back to Earth. It was originally intended to land on the surface of Venus, but it started to ...

A failed Soviet spacecraft, circling Earth for decades, is finally heading back. It’s been a silent ... Its mission was to travel to Venus. But a timing malfunction cut its engine burn short.

Given that it was intended to survive Venus’ harsh atmosphere, it’s expected to withstand its fiery plummet back to Earth. The probe likely had an engine burn that caused it to malfunction ...