'Car-sized' satellite to fall back to Earth next month

The Kosmos 482 spacecraft launched in 1972 carrying a probe that was supposed to fly all the way to Venus .

But due to an engine malfunction, the spacecraft failed to escape Earth 's gravitational pull.

The main body of the spacecraft fell back to Earth in 1981 and likely burned up in the atmosphere.

But it's reentry capsule, which was ejected into higher orbit during the launch, has remained in space.

It is equipped with a heat shield designed to prevent it from burning up when it entered Venus ' atmosphere.

Because it never made it to that planet, the shield is likely still intact, and it could allow the capsule to survive a fall through Earth 's atmosphere.

There are about 3,000 dead satellites like Kosmos 482 currently orbiting Earth .

Some of these objects could eventually pose a risk to human safety.

Scientists are testing out strategies to bring these objects back to Earth safely.

These include fleets of 'space garbage trucks' - spacecraft that collect dead satellites and other forms of orbital debris.