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Comment on Kosmos 482: questions around a failed 1972 Venera lander still orbiting Earthparent

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That's assuming it comes straight down. Given that most people are somewhere around one to two metres tall, if it came in at a shallow angle it could ruin hundreds of people's day.

I think the shallow angle is unlikely since all horizont speed is not going to be compensated by anything, once it's gone by air friction, it's gone. Whereas vertical speed is helped by gravity. It of course depends on the initial velocity, but I doubt it's high enough for it to be an issue.

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