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

China completed Tiangong in November with the addition of the third of three modules, centered on the Tianhe living and command module.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2023

They will encounter new artifacts alongside old favorites such as the Wright Flyer and the Apollo 11 command module, both showcased in new exhibits.

From Washington Post • Aug. 2, 2022

Apollo 9 had called theirs Gumdrop and Spider, which I thought were neat names because the command module teas shaped like a gumdrop and the lunar module did look sort of like a spider.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Related Words

• capsule
• spacecraft
• spaceship