A 500 kg object is set to crash-land on Earth, and no, it's not an asteroid

Alarm bells over nearby asteroids are fairly common as far as perceived threats from space are concerned, but this time, a man-made object weighing nearly half-a-tonne is set to crash into the Earth.

A former Soviet spacecraft, Kosmos 482, weighing approximately 453 kgs (1,000 pounds), is predicted to re-enter Earth's atmosphere between May 8 and May 11 this year.

Launched on March 31, 1972, Kosmos 482 was originally intended for an exploratory mission to Venus.

However, an issue with a timer caused a premature engine shutdown on Kosmos 482, leaving the Soviet spacecraft stranded in Earth's orbit for over 50 years, well after the dissolution of the USSR.

With Kosmos 482 now set to crash down, scientists anticipate the spacecraft to re-enter Earth's atmosphere between latitudes 52 degrees North and 52 degrees South, a massive patch stretching thousands of kilometres.

Due to the spacecraft having been designed to withstand the intense heat of Venus, Kosmos 482's half-tonne landing module is expected to remain largely intact upon re-entry, thereby creating an element of risk.

Experts estimate that the impact speed of the spacecraft could be over 240 kilometres per hour, and during re-entry, observers may be able to see the Kosmos 482 as a bright, slow-moving object in the sky around dawn or dusk in the days leading up to its descent. If the spacecraft re-enters overhead, it may look like a fragmenting meteor.

Given that Earth is mostly covered by oceans, the likelihood of the spacecraft landing in an uninhabited area is high, and it will most likely crash land in an ocean. However, there remains a small risk of it impacting a populated region.

Although the chances of the spacecraft landing in a populated area are low, scientists are continuing to monitor Kosmos 482's trajectory closely to assess any potential risks.