orbiter

noun

or·​bit·​er ˈȯr-bə-tər 

: one that orbits: such as

a

: a spacecraft designed to orbit a celestial body without landing on its surface

b

: space shuttle

Examples of orbiter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Horsehead Nebula's iconic 'mane' is seen in stunning detail in new Webb images: See photos China launches lunar probe, looking to be 1st nation to get samples from far side of moon An orbiter captured images of 'spiders' on Mars in Inca City. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 13 May 2024

That two-year study generated enough interest that the U.S. Congress funded a small R&D program, which published plans to put up a megawatt-scale orbiter in the early 2010s and a full-size power plant in the early 2020s. —IEEE Spectrum, 9 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

orbit entry 3 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

orbiter

noun

or·​bit·​er ˈȯr-bət-ər 

1

: one that orbits

2

: space shuttle