spacecraft
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of spacecraft
Explanation
A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to travel beyond Earth's atmosphere. In 1969, the Apollo 11 lunar module was the first crewed spacecraft to land on the Moon. Rockets, space shuttles, satellites, and the International Space Station are all examples of spacecraft. Any machine, device, or vehicle that's designed to travel in outer space falls into this category, whether or not it carries humans. Spacecraft is a more scientific term than spaceship — but both words were originally used in 19th- and 20th-century science fiction.
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.
Spacecraft operations are managed by BAE Systems, Inc., based in Falls Church, Virginia, in partnership with the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder.
From Science Daily • Jan. 8, 2026
The crew will spend their second day in space at their maximum altitude, conducting up to 40 experiments, including intersatellite laser communication between the Dragon Spacecraft and Space X’s Starlink satellite constellation.
From BBC • Sep. 10, 2024
There’s the occasional startling interruption of tour guides speaking in the hall outside his office as they lead groups through JPL’s Spacecraft Assembly Facility.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2024
Spacecraft are designed to withstand the launch stresses of their chosen rocket, so switching is not simple.
From Science Magazine • Jun. 21, 2023
Once there, it was moved to the JPL Spacecraft Assembly Facility.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
