subsatellite

[suhb-sat-l-ahyt]

noun

1. a satellite designed to be released into orbit from another spacecraft.

Word History and Origins

Origin of subsatellite¹

First recorded in 1890–95; sub- + satellite

Example Sentences

Writing to Salon, Holcomb cited historical archaeologist Pete Capelotti when the latter identified five categories of lunar artifacts: "lunar module ascent stages, lunar module descent stages, Saturn V third-stage rockets, subsatellite science probes, and lunar rovers."

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The satellite launches were first reported by the website Space.com, which noted “it is possible that the object is a subsatellite, possibly to be used together with the parent satellite for on-orbit testing.”

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A former subsatellite would help explain some of the mysteries of Iapetus, one of Saturn's moons.

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The subsatellite would have spiraled slowly away from Iapetus until Saturn grabbed it.

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With the press of a button, the small, instrument-packed subsatellite will be automatically injected into an orbit around the moon.

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