perilunen.
/ˈpɛrɪl(j)uːn/, U.S. /ˈpɛrəˌlun/ Astronautics.
The point at which a spacecraft in lunar orbit is nearest to the moon's centre. Cf. pericynthion n.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > air or space travel > space flight > [noun] > a space shot or flight > course or trajectory of spacecraft > point in lunar orbit
pericynthion1959
perilune1960
1960 Aeroplane 99 638/2 Lunar gravity should draw the probe into an orbit which has a period of about 10 hr., an apolune (farthest distance from the Moon) of approximately 3,000 miles and a perilune (closest distance) of 1,500 miles.
1969 Nature 12 July 129/2 Choosing the major axis of the orbit to pass through the mascon..is equally effective in nullifying the orbital instability represented by cumulatively increasing displacements of perilune and apolune.
1994 New Scientist 16 July 24/1 As the phenomenon appeared time and time again, and when the spacecraft were close to the Moon, engineers dubbed it ‘perilune wiggle’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1960