earth return

noun

1. the return path for an electrical circuit made by connections to earth at each end

Example Sentences

The European Space Agency has designed an Earth Return Orbiter, which will rendezvous with the rocket in orbit and capture the basketball-sized sample container.

From Salon

The samples will then be automatically sealed into a biocontainment system and transferred to an Earth entry capsule, which is part of the Earth Return Orbiter.

From Salon

The weeks after Earth return were all Houston, all day long.

From New York Times

However many Perseverance collects, they all must be ready for eventual pickup by a tag-team duo—a Sample Retrieval Lander and an Earth Return Orbiter—that could launch late this decade.

From Scientific American

An ascent vehicle subsequently carried the materials back into lunar orbit, where they were transferred to an Earth return module.

From BBC