retrorocket

American  

[re-troh-rok-it] / ˈrɛ troʊˌrɒk ɪt /

Or retro-rocket

noun

1. a small, auxiliary rocket engine, forming a part of a larger rocket vehicle and having its exhaust nozzle pointed toward the direction of flight, for decelerating the larger rocket, separating one stage from another, etc.

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retrorocket British  

/ ˈrɛtrəʊˌrɒkɪt /

noun

1. Often shortened to: retro.  a small auxiliary rocket engine on a larger rocket, missile, or spacecraft, that produces thrust in the opposite direction to the direction of flight in order to decelerate the vehicle or make it move backwards

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Etymology

Origin of retrorocket

First recorded in 1945–50; retro- + rocket ¹

Example Sentences

Moscow time, said Gagarin, he was over Africa, and the spaceship's automatic controls signaled that back in Russia preparations were being made to turn on a braking device, presumably a retrorocket.

From Time Magazine Archive

The retrorocket packet was supposed to be jettisoned after the rockets themselves had been fired.

From Time Magazine Archive

Dejectedly, some JPL scientists suggested that it would be best to fire Surveyor's retrorocket immediately, placing the craft in high earth orbit.

From Time Magazine Archive

Western experts speculated that whatever went wrong with Soyuz 11 occurred either during or soon after the firing of its retrorocket.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mariner 9 fired its retrorocket and went into a looping orbit around the red planet, swinging as close as 800 miles to the Martian surface.

From Time Magazine Archive