command module

American  

noun

1. (often initial capital letters) the portion of the Apollo spacecraft that contained the crew's living compartment and the on-board controls.

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command module British  

noun

1. the cone-shaped module used as the living quarters in an Apollo spacecraft and functioning as the splashdown vehicle

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Etymology

Origin of command module

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

For her 16th, Joel takes her to a science museum, where she lives out her dream of going to space by climbing inside the Apollo 15 command module.

From Salon • May 19, 2025

In Downey, North American Aviation built the command module of the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed astronauts on the moon.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2024

Several days into the mission, an oxygen tank on the spacecraft’s service module exploded, knocking out most of the power and oxygen to the command module.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2023

“In its day, the Apollo command module was the most complex machine ever built by man to be operated by man,” the website CollectSpace quoted Mr. Cunningham as saying.

From Washington Post • Jan. 5, 2023

The Eagle, the lunar lander, issued forth from the Apollo command module at 4:00 p.m.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• capsule
• spacecraft
• spaceship