service module

noun

1. (often initial capital letters) U.S. Aerospace. the section of an Apollo spacecraft containing the principal propulsion system, electrical system, water, and other supplies.

service module

noun

1. a section of an Apollo spacecraft housing the rocket engine, radar, fuel cells, etc, and jettisoned on re-entry into the earth's atmosphere See also lunar module command module

Word History and Origins

Origin of service module¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

China plans to launch the first part in 2021—a core service module called Tinahe.

From MIT Technology Review

The service module also deploys four arrays of solar panels.

From The Daily Beast