Old Soviet Probe Falling to Earth, Here's When Impact Will Happen

These are hours of intense activity at the Italian Air Force Space Situational Awareness Center in Poggio Renatico, near Ferrara. From here, European activities are coordinated to monitor the uncontrolled reentry into the atmosphere of Cosmos 482, a 500-kilo Soviet lander badly launched toward Venus in 1972 and now falling to Earth.

"Monitoring is done through a network of sensors on national and European territory. We also receive contributions from outside the European community"

Cosmos 482 was designed to land on Venus so it should also survive the passage through the Earth's atmosphere unscathed. Estimates say that the re-entry will occur between night and late morning. Two overflights of Italy in this window: one over Sardinia and central regions around 5 am and one over southern Calabria around mid-day.

The authorities are alerted, but there is no need to be alarmed: the Earth is large, populated areas are a minority and it is unlikely that there will be any damage.