The Soviet Union's failed Kosmos 482 Venus lander fell back to Earth today (May 10), bringing a five-decade space odyssey to a dramatic end.

What is Kosmos 482? The Kosmos 482 probe was built and launched in 1972 as part of the Soviet Union's Venera mission to explore Venus.

Cosmos (or Kosmos) 482's orbit has slowly brought it closer to our planet since 1972, and now it's on the cusp of plummeting back to its home world.

Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era spacecraft, plunged to Earth more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus.

Different computer models were used to predict the reentry of the 1970s-era Soviet Venus craft Kosmos-482. Why were they divergent, and how can we improve our debris-fall forecasts?

A Soviet spacecraft launched in 1972 on a failed mission to Venus is believed to have crashed back to Earth early on Saturday morning.

Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era spacecraft, plunged to Earth more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus.

Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era spacecraft, plunged to Earth more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus.

Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era spacecraft, plunged to Earth more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus.

Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era spacecraft, plunged to Earth more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus.