spacecraft

[ speys-kraft, -krahft ]

noun

, plural spacecraft.

1. a vehicle designed for travel or operation in space beyond the earth's atmosphere or in orbit around the earth.

spacecraft

/ ˈspeɪsˌkrɑːft /

noun

1. a manned or unmanned vehicle designed to orbit the earth or travel to celestial objects for the purpose of research, exploration, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of spacecraft¹

First recorded in 1955–60; space + craft

Example Sentences

The Miranda paper relied on images taken from the Voyager 2 probe, the one and only spacecraft to visit Uranus, to reach these conclusions.

From Salon

Detecting smaller oceans will mean a spacecraft will have to get closer or pack extra powerful cameras.

From Science Daily

America’s poet laureate, the incandescent Ada Limón, was asked to write a poem that would be inscribed on the spacecraft.

From Los Angeles Times

Wish you could buy a ticket on the Europa Clipper spacecraft that’s on its way to check if there’s living slime on a Jupiterian moon?

From Salon

But besides protecting spacecraft, coatings could also stop astronauts from getting sick.

From BBC

Related Words

• rocket
• shuttle
• space capsule
• space probe