Forgotten Soviet Venus mission ends with a bang as doomed spacecraft plummets to Earth after 50 years adrift in orbit

After 50 years, the Soviet Union's Kosmos 482 Descent Craft, intended for Venus, made an uncontrolled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The mission failed in 1972, trapping the lander in low orbit. Experts predicted some debris might survive the fiery descent, but it's hoped it landed harmlessly in the ocean, posing minimal risk.