Unwanted Guest from Space Lands

Imagine this: a rogue Russian spacecraft, Kosmos-482, launched in 1972 as part of a mission to study Venus. A malfunction kept it orbiting Earth for 53 years, finally spiraling down due to gravity's relentless pull. This metallic beast, weighing nearly 500kgs, recently made its fiery re-entry. While experts say most of it burned upon re-entry, some parts might have survived. Now, under the UN Outer Space Treaty, any surviving pieces legally belong to Russia. A relic of the Cold War era reminds us of humanity's early space ambitions—and sometimes, mishaps.