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

To confirm the instrument's accuracy, the mission team compared the new infrared imagery with long-term thermal maps of Mars gathered by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, which has been observing the Red Planet since 2001. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 13 May 2025

Aerobraking for interplanetary missions A few Mars missions, including the Mars reconnaissance orbiter and the Mars Odyssey orbiter, have used aerobraking to reach their target orbits around the red planet. —Piyush Mehta, The Conversation, 7 May 2025

This famous orbiter, which taught astronomers that the same comets can show up in our skies repeatedly, takes 76 years to loop around the sun. —Kayla Randall, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2025

Other worlds Scientists used instruments on orbiters circling Mars to zoom in on mysterious mounds on the red planet's surface. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 26 Jan. 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