A failed Soviet spacecraft has crashed back down to Earth during an 'uncontrolled re-entry' after being stuck in space for 53 years. The spacecraft, called Kosmos 482, was launched in 1972 and once bound for Venus, but a malfunction meant it never left our planet's orbit.

It’s not every day that a space relic comes home. But this week, a forgotten Soviet spacecraft finally ended its long wait. After more than five decades in orbit, Kosmos 482 has returned to Earth. Launched in March 1972,

The probe is projected to crash between between 52° North and 52° South - a big span of the Earth that just includes a snippet of West Cork. Because more than 70% of the planet's surface is covered in water, experts add that it will more than likely land in the ocean.