Soviet Space Station Debris Falls into Indian Ocean After 53 Years

Remnants of a Soviet Space Station Fall into the Indian Ocean After 53 Years in Orbit A piece of space history concluded its journey on May 13th, 2025, when the remains of a Soviet space station, originally designed for a Venus mission in the 1970s, finally fell into the Indian Ocean. The station, known as "Cosmos-482," never reached its intended destination due to a rocket malfunction that prevented it from escaping Earth's orbit. It remained there for over five decades, circling the planet in an elliptical path. "It's a remarkable event," states Dr. Anya Petrova, a space exploration historian. "It underscores the challenges and risks involved in space missions, even those from decades past." The station's unexpected fall has sparked interest in the history of Soviet space exploration and the technological limitations of the time. While experts have confirmed the event, pinpointing the exact location of the debris in the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean has proven difficult. This event serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of past space endeavors and the ongoing evolution of space technology. The precise location of the debris remains uncertain, highlighting the immense challenges of tracking objects in space and predicting their re-entry.