Old Soviet Venus Descent Craft Nearing Earth Reentry: What Does New Imagery Suggest?

“As this is a lander that was designed to survive passage through the Venus atmosphere, it is possible that it will survive reentry through the Earth atmosphere intact, and impact intact,” reports Marco Langbroek of SatTrackCam Leiden, the Netherlands.

A Soviet Venus lander stuck in Earth orbit since 1972 is due down around May 10. It was built to survive Venus, so it may reach the ground intact. Nobody knows where. It outlived the country that launched it.