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Topics: News, World News, Russia
Gerrard Kaonga
An astronomer has warned that an old satellite could crash back down to Earth next week and cause significant damage.
The chance of the incoming satellite striking someone isn’t exactly high... but it also isn’t zero.
British-American astronomer Jonathan McDowell has warned that a Soviet Union-era satellite could be crashing down from space to Earth as early as next week.
In a blog post, he noted that it is possible for the defunct satellite to survive Earth atmosphere entry and hit the ground.
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Note it is a Soviet Union satellite, not a Russian one, as in it was launched back when the Soviet Union existed.
The satellite set to be raining down upon us is said to be the Kosmos 482 probe that was launched way back in March 1972 by the USSR in order to gather data from Venus’ surface.
Due to an engine malfunction, the satellite failed to properly escape Earth's gravitational pull. The main body of the satellite is considered to be destroyed, burnt up in the Earth’s atmosphere as it fell back to Earth back in 1981.
Writing in a blog post, McDowell noted that the rest of the satellite is estimated to return to Earth between May 7 and May 13.
He wrote: “I am moderately confident, but not 100 percent confident, that object 6073 is the Kosmos-482 entry capsule. If it is, its heat shield means that the half-ton, one-metre-diameter sphere might well survive Earth atmosphere entry and hit the ground.
“In which case I expect it'll have the usual one-in-several-thousand chance of hitting someone. The vehicle is dense but inert and has no nuclear materials. No need for major concern, but you wouldn't want it bashing you on the head.”
Speaking to the Mail Online, McDowell also noted that in the odd chance that the satellite did actually strike someone or its property, the Russian government would be liable for the damages.
He also noted that the satellite initially had a parachute system that is designed to slow it down upon re-entry to Earth... but yeah there is very little chance that it will deploy.
So, the satellite will essentially crash down to Earth a couple hundred miles an hour, while on fire. But in case this has got you all worried, McDowell also broke the chances of the satellite hitting you.
He explained the odds of Kosmos 482 actually hitting you or your home are incredibly slim because the majority of Earth is not covered with people... duh.
He said: “If you land something in a random part of the Earth, the chance that it hits a person is about one in 10,000. The chance that it hits you is then one in 10 billion – smaller than that.”