orbiter

[awr-bi-ter]

See more synonyms for orbiter on Thesaurus.com

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.

Compare lander.

Origin of orbiter

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55; orbit + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for orbiter

shuttle, orbiter

Examples from the Web for orbiter

Contemporary Examples of orbiter

However, the probe stayed in contact with the Rosetta orbiter and has already sent back some photos.
Earthlings, We Landed on a Comet
Matthew R. Francis
November 12, 2014
The basic approach went as planned: after separating from the Rosetta orbiter, Philae coasted slowly to the comet surface.
Earthlings, We Landed on a Comet
Matthew R. Francis
November 12, 2014

British Dictionary definitions for orbiter

orbiter

noun

a spacecraft or satellite designed to orbit a planet or other body without landing on itCompare 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

Word Origin and History for orbiter

1954

agent noun from orbit (v.).