Shumita Basu

Any day now, a spacecraft that was sent by the Soviet Union to land on Venus over 50 years ago is expected to fall down to Earth and make a crash landing somewhere. According to ABC News, soon after it initially launched, parts of the spacecraft got trapped in Earth's orbit by mistake.

Any day now, a spacecraft that was sent by the Soviet Union to land on Venus over 50 years ago is expected to fall down to Earth and make a crash landing somewhere. According to ABC News, soon after it initially launched, parts of the spacecraft got trapped in Earth's orbit by mistake.

And since it was built to survive the atmosphere of Venus, which is far denser than ours, it's possible it won't fully disintegrate as it streaks down through Earth's atmosphere. Which brings us to the next point. Where could it land? And even more specifically, could it land on me or another human? One astronomer at Harvard told ABC News the risk of it striking a person is very low.

And since it was built to survive the atmosphere of Venus, which is far denser than ours, it's possible it won't fully disintegrate as it streaks down through Earth's atmosphere. Which brings us to the next point. Where could it land? And even more specifically, could it land on me or another human? One astronomer at Harvard told ABC News the risk of it striking a person is very low.

And since it was built to survive the atmosphere of Venus, which is far denser than ours, it's possible it won't fully disintegrate as it streaks down through Earth's atmosphere. Which brings us to the next point. Where could it land? And even more specifically, could it land on me or another human? One astronomer at Harvard told ABC News the risk of it striking a person is very low.

Another expert put it this way to CNN. 70% of the Earth is water, so chances are fairly high it'll land in the ocean. The impending crash is once again raising attention to the problem of space junk in general. Most of it is stuff like satellites, which, unlike what's expected to happen with the Soviet craft, commonly burn up and vaporize as they hit Earth's atmosphere.

Another expert put it this way to CNN. 70% of the Earth is water, so chances are fairly high it'll land in the ocean. The impending crash is once again raising attention to the problem of space junk in general. Most of it is stuff like satellites, which, unlike what's expected to happen with the Soviet craft, commonly burn up and vaporize as they hit Earth's atmosphere.

Another expert put it this way to CNN. 70% of the Earth is water, so chances are fairly high it'll land in the ocean. The impending crash is once again raising attention to the problem of space junk in general. Most of it is stuff like satellites, which, unlike what's expected to happen with the Soviet craft, commonly burn up and vaporize as they hit Earth's atmosphere.

In 2024, Bloomberg News reports there were about 1,000 satellite reentries, roughly three per day. And by 2035, according to an estimate from the same Harvard astrophysicist, there could be as many as up to 50 satellites reentering the atmosphere every day. And that takes a toll. Eric Rosten writes about energy and the environment for Bloomberg.

In 2024, Bloomberg News reports there were about 1,000 satellite reentries, roughly three per day. And by 2035, according to an estimate from the same Harvard astrophysicist, there could be as many as up to 50 satellites reentering the atmosphere every day. And that takes a toll. Eric Rosten writes about energy and the environment for Bloomberg.

In 2024, Bloomberg News reports there were about 1,000 satellite reentries, roughly three per day. And by 2035, according to an estimate from the same Harvard astrophysicist, there could be as many as up to 50 satellites reentering the atmosphere every day. And that takes a toll. Eric Rosten writes about energy and the environment for Bloomberg.

Companies like Amazon and SpaceX have been filling up space with more and more satellites in recent years. SpaceX plays a particularly big role. When the company first started to send satellites into orbit around six years ago, there were fewer than 2,000 functional satellites total. Since then, SpaceX alone has sent more than 7,000.

Companies like Amazon and SpaceX have been filling up space with more and more satellites in recent years. SpaceX plays a particularly big role. When the company first started to send satellites into orbit around six years ago, there were fewer than 2,000 functional satellites total. Since then, SpaceX alone has sent more than 7,000.

Companies like Amazon and SpaceX have been filling up space with more and more satellites in recent years. SpaceX plays a particularly big role. When the company first started to send satellites into orbit around six years ago, there were fewer than 2,000 functional satellites total. Since then, SpaceX alone has sent more than 7,000.

And the company has said in the past it hopes to have six times that amount in space someday. Research into stratospheric pollution is relatively new. So far, data from the past five years shows that things like rocket fuel and particles from satellites that re-enter the atmosphere could potentially undo decades of progress repairing the ozone layer and possibly indirectly change the weather.

And the company has said in the past it hopes to have six times that amount in space someday. Research into stratospheric pollution is relatively new. So far, data from the past five years shows that things like rocket fuel and particles from satellites that re-enter the atmosphere could potentially undo decades of progress repairing the ozone layer and possibly indirectly change the weather.

And the company has said in the past it hopes to have six times that amount in space someday. Research into stratospheric pollution is relatively new. So far, data from the past five years shows that things like rocket fuel and particles from satellites that re-enter the atmosphere could potentially undo decades of progress repairing the ozone layer and possibly indirectly change the weather.

Scientists will get more answers soon from the European Space Agency. It plans to launch a mission in 2027 that follows a satellite's final descent into the atmosphere and measure what exactly is left in its wake. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. It was a day of hirings and firings at the White House.

Scientists will get more answers soon from the European Space Agency. It plans to launch a mission in 2027 that follows a satellite's final descent into the atmosphere and measure what exactly is left in its wake. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. It was a day of hirings and firings at the White House.

Scientists will get more answers soon from the European Space Agency. It plans to launch a mission in 2027 that follows a satellite's final descent into the atmosphere and measure what exactly is left in its wake. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. It was a day of hirings and firings at the White House.