spacecraft

American  

[speys-kraft, -krahft] / ˈspeɪsˌkræft, -ˌkrɑft /

noun

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

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spacecraft British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• spacecraft
  plural

Etymology

Origin of spacecraft

First recorded in 1955–60; space + craft

Explanation

A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to travel beyond Earth's atmosphere. In 1969, the Apollo 11 lunar module was the first crewed spacecraft to land on the Moon. Rockets, space shuttles, satellites, and the International Space Station are all examples of spacecraft. Any machine, device, or vehicle that's designed to travel in outer space falls into this category, whether or not it carries humans. Spacecraft is a more scientific term than spaceship — but both words were originally used in 19th- and 20th-century science fiction.

Example Sentences

The mission will be the first attempt to test this type of dual-mode propulsion system on a small spacecraft.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

Charlotte Fox, a graduate systems engineer at Leonardo who studied spacecraft engineering, hosted a panel talking about careers in the space sector.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

"We are both test pilots, and the spacecraft needs a crew of 2 to fly it, so we share the responsibilities," Parmitano said.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Small reactors also could be used to power spacecraft over longer distances, including to Mars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

The spacecraft weighs 0.9 tons and would fill a large living room.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• rocket
• shuttle
• space capsule
• space probe