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 orbiters are expected to linger in a holding pattern before heading for Mars next year when the red planet is better aligned for a less fuel-intensive journey. —Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

To better understand how solar wind energy interacts with Mars’ atmosphere and magnetic environment, and how that might have altered the planet's surface, NASA and the University of California, Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory are sending twin orbiters to the Red Planet. —Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2025

The orbiter will look at the clouds of Venus, as well as the planet's mountains, during two flybys. —Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025

In recent months, Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the Orion orbiter that will be the mothership for any lunar landing, has been mobilizing to put together a group of a dozen other industry players who would build a lunar lander from, essentially, off-the-shelf parts. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 24 Oct. 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