The Space Age past may come knocking on the world's door next week as the defunct Soviet Union's Kosmos 482 Venus lander from 1972 makes an unwelcome return home and is predicted to crash into the Earth's atmosphere around May 10.

Soviet Venus lander is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere this month, possibly crashing intact after 53 years in orbit, scientists say.

Designed to endure the extreme pressures and heat of Venus’ atmosphere, Cosmos 482 is likely to survive its descent through Earth's atmosphere as well, raising the possibility of impact with the surface.