A Soviet spacecraft is just about to crash into Earth after 53 years
The Kosmos 482 lander probe (NASA)
A Sovietspacecraft, Kosmos 482, launched in 1972 for a failed Venus mission, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere this weekend.
The half-ton, titanium-clad spacecraft is likely to survive re-entry but may be damaged upon impact.
Experts predict the impact zone will likely be over water or a sparsely populated area, with minimal risk to populated regions.
The spacecraft's re-entry time is estimated for early Saturday morning, U.S. Eastern Time, but remains uncertain due to solar activity and the spacecraft's age.
Any surviving debris will belong to Russia according to a UN treaty.