A Soviet-era spacecraft has plunged to Earth, more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus. The half-ton spacecraft fell out of orbit on Saturday.

A Soviet-area spacecraft that orbited Earth for more than 50 years crashed into the Indian Ocean on Saturday, Russian officials confirmed.

Cosmos 482, launched into space by the Soviet Union in 1972 with a destination of Venus, malfunctioned and has been in Earth's orbit since.