Everything we know about 1,000lb spacecraft set to hit Earth this week as exact time it'll crash revealed

Everywhere from Space forums to social media is awash with the news that the forgotten spacecraft Kosmos 482, which has been orbiting Earth for over fifty years, is set to hit the planet’s surface this week.

Launched in the early ‘70s by European space explorers, Kosmos 482 is officially set to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere towards the end of the week.

The failed Soviet Venus probe, which failed to escape low Earth orbit, is unlikely to cause significant damage, according to experts.

Kosmos 482 was launched in 1972 as part of a failed Venus expedition (Nasa)

However, other professionals, such as Astrophysics expert Jonathan McDowell, haven’t ruled out death and destruction.

Ahead of the monumental event—which could crash anywhere from as far north as London to the border of Argentina and Chile—we’ve collated everything you need to know.

This includes: why Kosmos 482 was launched, areas the incoming space debris is likely to hit, and where you can track it as it re-enters the atmosphere.

When and why was Kosmos 482 launched?

On March 31, 1972, Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era probe, was launched by a Molniya booster at the Russian-operated spaceport in Kazakhstan, Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Nasa writes that the mission was an ‘attempted Venus probe which failed to escape low Earth orbit’. This is based on evidence collated from Soviet and non-Soviet sources and historical documents.

The agency states that the spacecraft made an apparent attempt to launch into a Venus transfer trajectory.

The idea was that it would land on the planet’s surface, becoming the ninth of the uncrewed Soviet Venera missions to the Morning Star.

However, it separated into four pieces after a suspected engine burn. Two pieces remained in low Earth orbit and decayed within 48 hours.

The snapped-off lander probe has been in orbit since 1972 and has been decaying over time.

It’s this piece that is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere towards the end of the week.

When will Kosmos 482 crash land on Earth?

Parts of the UK could be impacted by Kosmos 482's fall (Getty Stock/LADbible)

Kosmos 482 has been decaying in space for over half a century. However, the probe is set to finally reenter the atmosphere on roughly May 10 at 7:30 UT (03:30 ET), according to Nasa.

In its latest update, the European Space Agency (ESA) has pinpointed the reentry moment to be taking place at 07:12 UTC (03:12 ET).

Nasa states the time of atmospheric re-entry 'should be known more accurately over the next day or so’.

“The uncertainty in the reentry date will decrease once we get closer to the actual reentry, but even on the day, uncertainties will remain large,” echoed Marco Langbroek, a lecturer, scientist and satellite tracker at Delft University of Technology.

The spacecraft, though thought to weigh around 1,050 pounds, is also cloaked in a protective heat shield.

This means it’s likely to survive its plunge down to Earth partly intact. It’s not yet known who will take charge of the space debris when it lands.

Kosmos 482 reentry tracker and where to go for live updates

The ESA is keeping fans and interested parties updated on Kosmos 482’s placement in space.

As the 53-year-old landing capsule makes its way back down to Earth, the site is giving regular updates on its blog, as well as creating live prediction diagrams for visual learners.

You can check out the ESA Kosmos 482 reentry tracker and live updates here.

Kosmos 482 reentry map and where satellite could land

A map showing where the space debris could land (European Space Agency)

Much like the time that the descent craft could come down, the location it will land is also unpredictable.

However, space experts believe Kosmos 482 will land 52 degrees north and south of the equator.

The 52nd parallel north passes through countries like the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and parts of Russia.

It also hits areas of Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean

Meanwhile, the 52nd parallel south passes through parts of Chile, Argentina, and hits the Atlantic Ocean and the Falkland Islands.

Professionals will be able to better map where Kosmos 482 will land nearest to the moment.

Impact Kosmos 482 could have on Earth

The impact of the debris on Earth may not be as monumental as once believed (Nasa)

The idea of anything striking the Earth is terrifying, and Kosmos re-entering the atmosphere is no exception.

Jonathan McDowell, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, has said that when the space vessel hits the ground, it could kill civilians and wreck buildings

"It is alarming but not end-of-the-world alarming,’’ he said. “It’s like a medium-sized car falling out of the sky."

The space expert added it’s likely the Kosmos 482 will land in water or uninhabited land, so there is ‘no need for major concern'.

Stijn Lemmens, Senior Space Debris Mitigation Analyst at the European Space Agency, has echoed McDowell’s comments, telling the BBC it’s ‘much more likely that you win the lottery than that you get impacted by this piece of space debris’.

Meanwhile, Marco Langbroek, a lecturer and space traffic expert said civilians have a ‘larger risk of being hit by lightning once in your lifetime’.

The chances of Cosmos 482 causing deadly damage are roughly 1 in 25,000, according to The Aerospace Corporation's calculations.