A Soviet satellite, Kosmos 482 Descent Craft, launched on March 31, 1972, is predicted to re-enter Earth's atmosphere between May 8 and 12 after over 50 years in space. The craft, originally intended for Venus, got stuck in Earth's orbit due to a rocket failure.
The potential impact zone spans between 52° north and 52° south, encompassing Africa, South America, Asia, Australia, and significant portions of Europe and North America. Experts estimate an impact speed of about 150mph, assuming the lander doesn't break up during re-entry.
While risks are considered low, the 500kg craft poses a similar threat to a meteorite impact. There are approximately 35,000 pieces of space debris larger than 10cm currently tracked, with about 160 large objects making uncontrolled re-entries in 2021.