FAQs
spacecraft, vehicle designed to operate, with or without a crew, in a controlled flight pattern above Earth's lower atmosphere.
Is it a spaceship or space ship? ›
A spacecraft is a simple common term for satellites, probes, and space stations. A spaceship tends to be used in science fiction for a large and crewed spacecraft that is not a satellite.
Does NASA have a spaceship? ›
NASA's Orion spacecraft is built to take humans farther than they've ever gone before. On Artemis missions, Orion will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.
What is a spaceship used for? ›
A spacecraft is a vehicle that flies in space. It can carry astronauts, cargo, or instruments to their destination, or it can be the destination. The International Space Station is a spacecraft, just like the smaller vehicles that deliver crew and cargo to it.
What is a spaceship in slang? ›
It means that they share the same residence as best friends and give each other ample emotional space to grow as individuals.
What is a fancy name for a spaceship? ›
spacecraft (noun as in spaceship) Strongest matches. rocket shuttle space capsule space probe.
Who flies a spaceship? ›
A professional space traveler is called an astronaut.
Is a rocket a spaceship? ›
The launch vehicle propels the spacecraft from Earth's surface, through the atmosphere, and into an orbit, the exact orbit being dependent on the mission configuration. The launch vehicle may be expendable or reusable. In a single stage to orbit rocket, the rocket can be considered a spacecraft itself.
Do spaceships have names? ›
From Project Mercury to Space Shuttle Atlantis. The names that NASA gives its spacecraft are often inspirational, borrowing names from Greco-Roman mythology and ships from the Age of Exploration.
Could we live in a spaceship? ›
Humans evolved for and adapted to conditions on Earth. Move us off our planet, and we start to fail—physically and psychologically. The cancer risk from cosmic rays and the problems that human bodies experience in microgravity could be deal-breakers on their own.
When the astronauts want to return to Earth they turn on the engines, to push their spacecraft out of orbit. Gravity then pulls the spacecraft back towards the Earth. The spacecraft may be slowed to a safe landing speed by parachutes.
Can a spaceship stay still in space? ›
No, it is not possible to be completely still in space due to the constant motion of celestial bodies and the expansion of the universe. Even if a person were to be completely still relative to their spacecraft, they would still be moving in relation to other objects in the universe.
Does a spaceship have a toilet? ›
The astronauts fasten themselves to the toilet, so that, their body won't float away. They then use a device similar to a vacuum cleaner to suck any wastes away. Inside the Space Shuttle, there are no wash basins or showers, but the Shuttles do have toilets.
Who invented a spaceship? ›
Answer and Explanation: The spaceship was invented in 1961 by a team of Soviet space engineers. The name of the first spacecraft was Vostok 1 and it launched Yuri Gagarin in the outer space. The lead designer of this project was Sergei Korolev.
How do spaceships stay in space? ›
A satellite maintains its orbit by balancing two factors: its velocity (the speed it takes to travel in a straight line) and the gravitational pull that Earth has on it. A satellite orbiting closer to the Earth requires more velocity to resist the stronger gravitational pull.
What is the space ship called? ›
The world's first reusable spacecraft launched like a rocket, maneuvered in Earth orbit like a spacecraft and landed like an airplane. It was comprised of the orbiter, the main engines, the external tank, and the solid rocket boosters. Encyclopedia. Updated Jun 2, 2023.
What is another word for a spaceship? ›
What is another word for spaceship?
spacecraft | capsule |
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space capsule | rocket ship |
lunar module | mother ship |
shuttle | spacelab |
space station | satellite |
18 more rows
What do they name spaceships? ›
NASA tends to name their ships by what they do. “Discovery”, “Challenger”, etc. Science Fiction authors tend to be more dramatic. “Death Star”, Millienium Falcon”.
What is the technical name for a spaceship? ›
The term "spacecraft" is mainly used to refer to spacecraft that are real or conceived using present technology. The terms "spaceship" and "starship" are generally applied only to fictional space vehicles, usually those capable of transporting people. Spaceships are often one of the key plot devices in science fiction.