orbiter

American  

[awr-bi-ter] / ˈɔr bɪ tər /

noun

U.S. Aerospace.

1. Also called space shuttle orbiter.  the crew- and payload-carrying component of the space shuttle.

2. a space probe designed to orbit a planetary body or moon.

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orbiter British  

/ ˈɔːbɪtə /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of orbiter

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

Example Sentences

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

On Sunday, the lander component of the mission will separate from the orbiter and attempt to land on the side of the Moon that faces permanently away from Earth.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2024

The complex choreography of this mission, which involves a rover, a lander, a rocket, an orbiter and the coordination of two space agencies, is unprecedented.

From Salon • May 3, 2024

For Viking 1, the original landing site seemed, after we examined orbiter photographs and late-breaking Earth-based radar data, unacceptably risky.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan