Soviet space junk could skim Thailand, experts warn
Defunct Venus lander may survive re-entry as officials monitor unpredictable descent trajectory in real time
A 53 year old Soviet spacecraft is hurtling back to Earth—and while experts say Thailand is safe, eyes are still nervously watching the skies.
Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) has issued a warning about the anticipated re-entry of Cosmos 482, a defunct Soviet-era spacecraft that failed its original mission to Venus. The object, or what’s left of it, is expected to come crashing down tomorrow, May 10.
According to GISTDA, the spacecraft is currently orbiting at an altitude of around 138 kilometres and is predicted to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at approximately 6.56pm Thailand time. While the debris is most likely to land within Canadian territory, the agency emphasised that precise predictions can only be made once the object drops below 130 kilometres in altitude.
The risk to Thailand? A minuscule 0.001%. Still, officials are taking no chances.
“The analysis was carried out using the ZIRCON system, developed by our team to meet international tracking standards,” said GISTDA in a statement. “We are monitoring potential high-risk areas 24/7 and will continue to provide real-time updates.”
The Cosmos 482 spacecraft was launched by the former Soviet Union in late March 1972 with the ambitious goal of landing on Venus. Instead, it failed to break free of low Earth orbit and has been circling the planet ever since. Its lander module, weighing roughly 495 kilogrammes, remains one of the largest fragments still in orbit, reported The Nation.
Marco Langbroek, a lecturer and space traffic expert at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands, noted that after decades of tracking the debris via telescope, the re-entry will be uncontrolled.
“There is a chance that the lander may not fully disintegrate on re-entry and could reach the Earth’s surface.”
Still, Langbroek downplayed the threat. “The risk to public safety is comparable to that of being struck by a meteorite—extremely low.”
This isn’t the first time space junk has made headlines, and it won’t be the last. As Earth’s orbit becomes increasingly cluttered, experts say more objects could pose unpredictable risks in future.
For now, GISTDA urges the public not to panic—but to keep an eye on the skies just in case.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
