Planetary Radio • May 14, 2025

Kosmos 482: The Soviet-era Venus probe that fell to Earth

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On This Episode

Benjamin fernando portrait

Benjamin Fernando

Postdoctoral Researcher in Seismology and Planetary Science at Johns Hopkins University

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Bruce Betts

Chief Scientist / LightSail Program Manager for The Planetary Society

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Sarah Al-Ahmed

Planetary Radio Host and Producer for The Planetary Society

This week on Planetary Radio, we explore the decades-long journey of Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era Venus probe that spent 53 years orbiting Earth before its dramatic return on May 10, 2025. Ben Fernando, a postdoctoral researcher in seismology and planetary science at Johns Hopkins University, joins us to explain the history of Kosmos 482 and how seismology and acoustic sensors are helping scientists detect and locate objects impacting Earth. Then Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, joins us for What's Up, where we look back at the largest human-made objects ever to crash back to Earth.

Venera 4 model
Venera 4 model This Venera 4 model at the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow, Russia, looks similar to the Kosmos 482 mission, which crashed back to Earth on May 10, 2025.Image: ESA
Venus surface from Pioneer, Venera, and Magellan Missions
Venus surface from Pioneer, Venera, and Magellan Missions This image of Venus's surface was created by combining data from the Pioneer, Venera, and Magellan missions.Image: NASA

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