Doomed Soviet spacecraft plunging toward Earth may have deployed its parachute, striking new images reveal.

As a new set of images suggest, an unidentified something is seemingly following the Kosmos 482 probe as it descends towards Earth, which might turn out to be the ill-fated vessel’s parachute.

We could be looking at a 53-year-old Soviet lander that is currently burning out back to Earth and could be tangled in what appears to be a parachute, as newer images of the spacecraft suggest.

The Kosmos 482 probe was launched in 1972 and is designed to land on Venus as part of the former USSR’s Venera program; however, a malfunction in the rocket caused the spacecraft to split into two. The main body came crashing back down to earth in 1981, while the lander component has been stuck in orbit ever since.

After news emerged revealing the lander would finally return to earth around May 10, satellite trackers have turned their attention to the crafts images, which showcase an unknown object following the lander.

Dutch astronomer and astrophotographer Ralf Vandebergh shared his thoughts regarding the discovery on social media, stating, “Some structure is connected to the capsule. Not impossible that it’s the parachute, but this is still speculation!”

Vanderbergh captured the original high-resolution shots in July 2024 and posted them on X on April 29, 2025. In side-by-side comparisons with images taken by the VLT on June 28-29, 2014, both the set and the set appear to show “a compact ball” with “a weak elongated structure at one particular side of the ball” in several frames.

However, even if that trailing material were the lander’s parachute, it is doubtful whether it could survive the craft’s estimated 150 mph (242 km/h) reentry through the atmosphere of our planet.

“If it is true that this is the parachute that came out a long time ago in space, this would mean it is likely to burn up on reentry and will have no function in slowing down the spacecraft,” Vanderberg wrote on X.

With satellite watchers keeping watch on the spacecraft as it makes its descent, more images and updated track predictions of where it will land are sure to follow. Keep watching this space.

Even if this trailing material is indeed the lander’s parachute, it’s unlikely that it will survive the craft’s approximate 150 mph (242 km/h) reentry through our planet’s atmosphere.

“If it is true that this is the parachute that came out a long time ago in space, this would mean it is likely to burn up on reentry and will have no function in slowing down the spacecraft,” Vanderberg wrote on X.

With satellite watchers avidly tracking the spacecraft’s descent, further images and up-to-date projections of where it will land are sure to follow. Watch this space.

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