orbiter

American

[awr-bi-ter] / ˈɔr bɪ tər /

noun

U.S. Aerospace.

Also called space shuttle orbiter. the crew- and payload-carrying component of the space shuttle.
a space probe designed to orbit a planetary body or moon.

orbiter British

/ ˈɔːbɪtə /

noun

a spacecraft or satellite designed to orbit a planet or other body without landing on it Compare lander

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of orbiter

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55; orbit + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey orbiter, Curiosity rover, and Perseverance rover will contribute observations and navigation support.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

For over a decade, the retired orbiter was exhibited horizontally in a temporary, tent-like structure known as the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

“The Mars rover and orbiter data is fully available to the public,” Valentinas said.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2025

India spent $74m on the Mars orbiter Mangalyaan and $75m on last year’s historic Chandrayaan-3 – less than the $100m spent on the sci-fi thriller Gravity.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2024

October 12, 1964: Voskhod 1, a modified Vostok orbiter with a three-person crew, is launched.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023