spacecraft

American  

[spays-kraft, -krahft] / ˈspeɪsˌkræft, -ˌkrɑft /

noun

• spacecraft
  plural

1. a vehicle designed for travel or operation in space beyond the earth's atmosphere or in orbit around the earth.

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spacecraft British  

/ ˈspeɪsˌkrɑːft /

noun

1. a manned or unmanned vehicle designed to orbit the earth or travel to celestial objects for the purpose of research, exploration, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• spacecraft
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of spacecraft

First recorded in 1955–60; space + craft

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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

See Examples For:

spacecraft

It arrived like an alien spacecraft landing on our planet and shocked the world almost as much.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

If the spacecraft sends a response immediately, the return signal will take another 24 hours to arrive.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026

Unlike spacecraft equipped with engines that can periodically raise their orbits, Hubble has no propulsion system capable of maintaining its altitude.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

When the spacecraft launched in 1977, it carried 10 instruments dedicated to scientific research.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

Still others tested whether astronauts would be able to work outside of their spacecraft.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

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Related Words

• rocket
• shuttle
• space capsule
• space probe

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