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.

---

command module British  

noun

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

---

Etymology

Origin of command module

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

In 1969, while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history taking the first steps on the lunar surface, Collins was alone in the command module, orbiting the Moon.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

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

In 1970, Mattingly was supposed to have joined the crew of Apollo 13, piloting the command module.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 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