The 50-plus-year-old spacecraft was trapped in Earth orbit for decades. Now, it has likely fallen back home, according to the European Space Agency.

Launched in 1972 by the Soviet Union, the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 was part of a series of missions bound for Venus. But this one never made it out of orbit around Earth, stranded there by a rocket malfunction.

A Soviet-era spacecraft meant to land on Venus a half century ago is expected to plunge uncontrolled back to Earth within days.