After 53 Years, a Failed Soviet Venus Spacecraft Is Crashing Back to Earth

A nearly 60-year-old Venus probe, designed to study the challenging environment of Venus but instead stymied by an engine failure, is making history as it reenters Earth's atmosphere. Split into four fragments during its descent, two smaller pieces safely landed near New Zealand, while two larger parts entered higher orbits. Despite the low risk due to Earth's thick atmosphere, pinpointing exact impact locations remains uncertain.