Due to its inclination of approximately 51.95 degrees, the object can re-enter within a latitude band of ±52 degrees, covering a vast area of the Earth’s surface. Although most of this area is ocean or uninhabited land, the EU SST Operations Centres are working to narrow down the possible re-entry location and time. As the re-entry approaches, the predictions will become more accurate, but uncertainties remain due to the object’s uncontrolled nature.

The EU SST contributing sensors are playing a crucial role in observing the object and providing data for analysis. The Operations Centres are using this data to produce the best possible estimation for the expected re-entry location and time. A ground track for the re-entry window is being continuously updated, and the current window will be refined as more data becomes available.

Map of the whole ground track.
Yellow lines: ground track before the centre of the re-entry window. Green lines: ground track after the centre of the re-entry window. Red: overflights inside European countries and overseas territories.
Note: the possible re-entry locations lie anywhere along the yellow and green lines. The re-entry point is considered to be at an altitude of 80 km.

The Cosmos-482 Descent Craft is a remarkable object deserving careful monitoring, with a titanium shell designed to withstand the extreme accelerations, heat and pressure of a Venus re-entry. Weighing approximately 500 kilograms and measuring 1 metre in diameter, it may survive and reach the ground almost intact.

As the re-entry approaches, the EU SST Operations Centres will continue to update their predictions and provide the latest information. This article will be updated accordingly, reflecting the latest developments in the monitoring of the Cosmos-482 Descent Craft’s re-entry.