spacecraft

noun

space·​craft ˈspās-ˌkraft How to pronounce spacecraft (audio)
: a vehicle or device designed for travel or operation outside the earth's atmosphere

Examples of spacecraft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In an update posted to X, Firefly Aerospace said the lander executed its first burn with a high level of precision, setting the spacecraft up for its upcoming translunar injection burn that will put it on course for the moon. Brett Tingley, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2025 When will the Firefly spacecraft make it to the moon? Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2025 His photographs of spacecraft against serene Swiss landscape caused a sensation in the 1970s, propelling him to the status of a spiritual guru and a global authority in UFO studies. Jamie Lang, Variety, 21 Jan. 2025 General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has successfully tested the nuclear fuel that may one day propel and power the spacecraft of the future. David Szondy, New Atlas, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for spacecraft 

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spacecraft was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near spacecraft

Cite this Entry

“Spacecraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spacecraft. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

spacecraft

noun
space·​craft ˈspā-ˌskraft How to pronounce spacecraft (audio)
plural spacecraft
: a vehicle for travel beyond the earth's atmosphere

More from Merriam-Webster on spacecraft

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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