The Soviet Cosmos 482 Venus probe, launched in 1972, is set to reenter Earth’s atmosphere on May 10. Satellite trackers have captured new images of the spacecraft, revealing a compact ball in orbit. While some believe this could be the lander module/capsule intended for parachute deployment onto Venus’ surface, others speculate that it may have lost its parachute during reentry.
Marco Langbroek and Ralf Vandebergh, two satellite trackers, analyzed the images and reported on their findings. The spacecraft’s size is roughly 80 miles closer than a Starlink satellite bus in operational orbit. The compact ball has sparked debate about whether it could be the parachute that failed to deploy or if it’s just the lander module.
Vandebergh speculated that the weak elongated structure at one side of the ball might be the parachute, but more time is needed for further analysis. Langbroek noted that the object could survive reentry intact and impact with its parachute still in place. However, there are uncertain factors, such as the age of the object and the long shallow reentry trajectory.
The spacecraft’s reentry on May 10 remains uncertain, with a predicted forecast of plus/minus 2.2 days. As the situation unfolds, more information will be available, and the public can track the spacecraft’s progress through satellite trackers like Langbroek and Vandebergh.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/new-images-of-soviet-venus-lander-falling-to-earth-suggest-its-parachute-may-be-out