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

The 11-foot-tall orbiter – whose name is an acronym short for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN – reached Mars' orbit in September 2014 after launching in November 2013 from Florida. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025

Spacecraft orbiting other planets have also gotten a look at 3I/ATLAS, including two ESA orbiters near Mars whose observations have allowed scientists to better understand the object's trajectory. —Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 12 Dec. 2025

Realizing the peril of stretching this network too thin, NASA has pursued various next-generation orbiters for Mars communications for decades, but most of these projects have gone nowhere. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 10 Dec. 2025

The orbiter arrived 10 months later, and has remained operational in Martian orbit for the last decade. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025

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