retrorocket

American  

[re-troh-rok-it] / ˈrɛ troʊˌrɒk ɪt /

Or retro-rocket

noun

1. a small, auxiliary rocket engine, forming a part of a larger rocket vehicle and having its exhaust nozzle pointed toward the direction of flight, for decelerating the larger rocket, separating one stage from another, etc.

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retrorocket British  

/ ˈrɛtrəʊˌrɒkɪt /

noun

1. Often shortened to: retro.  a small auxiliary rocket engine on a larger rocket, missile, or spacecraft, that produces thrust in the opposite direction to the direction of flight in order to decelerate the vehicle or make it move backwards

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Etymology

Origin of retrorocket

First recorded in 1945–50; retro- + rocket ¹

Example Sentences

Western experts speculated that whatever went wrong with Soyuz 11 occurred either during or soon after the firing of its retrorocket.

From Time Magazine Archive

Dejectedly, some JPL scientists suggested that it would be best to fire Surveyor's retrorocket immediately, placing the craft in high earth orbit.

From Time Magazine Archive

The way to bring a satellite, manned or unmanned, down to the atmosphere is to fire a forward-pointing retrorocket to reduce its speed.

From Time Magazine Archive

The survival package, slowed by a solid-propellant retrorocket, should land on the moon at something like 70 m.p.h.

From Time Magazine Archive

He made the adjustments necessary to keep the retrorocket packet in place, hand-flew his capsule into proper attitude for descent—and braced himself.

From Time Magazine Archive