flyby

American  

[flahy-bahy] / ˈflaɪˌbaɪ /

Or fly-by

noun

plural

flybys

1. the flight of a spacecraft close enough to a celestial object, as a planet, to gather scientific data.

2. Aeronautics.

   1. Also called flypast.  a low-altitude flight of an aircraft for the benefit of ground observers.

   2. flyover.

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flyby British  

/ ˈflaɪˌbaɪ /

noun

1. a flight past a particular position or target, esp the close approach of a spacecraft to a planet or satellite for investigation of conditions

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Etymology

Origin of flyby

1950–55, noun use of verb phrase fly by

Example Sentences

During the lunar flyby, the crew proposed names for two surface features, continuing a longstanding tradition.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

Yet Monday’s flyby — the first time humans had reached the moon since 1972 — held an emotional significance for the crew and space enthusiasts beyond the mission’s technical objectives.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The Artemis II astronauts conducted a historic lunar flyby, gathered invaluable data and took in unprecedented Moon views, but one of the most crucial moments of their 10-day mission is still to come: Friday's splashdown.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

The four astronauts on board the Orion spacecraft achieved a historic lunar flyby that saw them travel further from Earth than any other humans.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

When I arrived at Chthonia a few minutes later, I did a cloaked flyby of the castle, just to gauge the lay of the land for myself.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline