Soviet-era space debris to crash on Earth this week after failed 1972 mission

A 500-kilogram piece of space debris from a failed Soviet Venus mission in 1972 is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere this week. The Kosmos 482 probe, which never reached its destination, will likely crash on May 9, 10, or 11. Experts predict the impact will be minimal, comparing it to a large ball dropped from a tall building rather than a meteorite strike.

Astronomers are closely monitoring the debris to predict its exact landing location, which will only become clear hours before impact. Most of Earth's surface being ocean means a water landing is probable.