Spacecraft Definition: Meaning, Examples & Usage

Meaning 1：space vehicle (spacecraft)

spacecraft 🔊

/ˈspeɪs.kræft/

A vehicle that is built to travel in outer space, like to the Moon or other planets.

Spacecraft floating in space with Earth in background

space vehicle 🔊

➕

/speɪs ˈviː.ɪ.kəl/

A vehicle designed to travel and operate in outer space, used for exploration, communication, or scientific research.

📁 Category：Space Exploration 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Space (Latin spatium) + craft (Old English cræft 'art, skill, vessel') – a skilled vessel for space.

💡 Mnemonic

Space + craft = a carefully made vehicle for traveling through the cosmos.

📖 Example

China's space program successfully landed a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, which was a historic achievement. 🔊 China's space program successfully landed a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, which was a historic achievement.

🔗 Collocations

spacecraft design – the process of creating and planning the structure and systems of a spacecraft

manned spacecraft – a spacecraft that carries human crew

unmanned spacecraft – a spacecraft that operates without human crew, often remote-controlled

🔄 Synonyms

spaceship (n.) – a vehicle used for travel in outer space, often implying crewed flights

space vehicle (n.) – any craft designed to operate beyond Earth's atmosphere

orbiter (n.) – a spacecraft that orbits a celestial body, such as a planet or moon

📖 Cultural Story

First recorded in the 1950s during the early Space Age. NASA's Apollo missions widely popularized the term, combining 'space' and 'craft' (a vessel or vehicle).