spacecraft
noun
space·craft ˈspās-ˌkraft 
: a vehicle or device designed for travel or operation outside the earth's atmosphere
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft on top—is set to begin as soon as 8:33 a.m. ET on Monday from the Kennedy Space Center, east of Orlando, Fla. 
Micah Maidenberg, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 In preparation for this flight, Shaun has begun astronaut training with the Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module. Sarah Rumpf, Fox News, 3 Aug. 2022 Continuing problems with the spacecraft’s flight software could threaten the launch window that runs from Sept. 20-Oct. 11, a window that was already delayed from Aug. 1 to allow the Psyche mission team to identify and correct the issue. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 22 June 2022 Now, though, it has been put on hold as NASA and SpaceX investigate a possible fuel leak with the Dragon spacecraft. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 9 June 2022 But making contact with a hypersonic spacecraft flying more than two hundred thousand miles away from Earth is difficult and — at some points in the journey — will be impossible. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Jan. 2022 The technology holds promise for speeding up communications with spacecraft in Earth orbit and in deep space. William Harwood, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2021 The first flight of NASA’s massive Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft on top of it is on track for the first part of next year, Nelson said, possibly as early as February. Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2021 Those nations’ opposition stems from a longtime debate over whether to instead focus efforts at the UN on negotiating new treaties among all nations with spacecraft, because treaties carry more weight and can be more clearly enforceable. Ramin Skibba, Wired, 3 Nov. 2021 See More
Micah Maidenberg, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 In preparation for this flight, Shaun has begun astronaut training with the Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module. Sarah Rumpf, Fox News, 3 Aug. 2022 Continuing problems with the spacecraft’s flight software could threaten the launch window that runs from Sept. 20-Oct. 11, a window that was already delayed from Aug. 1 to allow the Psyche mission team to identify and correct the issue. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 22 June 2022 Now, though, it has been put on hold as NASA and SpaceX investigate a possible fuel leak with the Dragon spacecraft. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 9 June 2022 But making contact with a hypersonic spacecraft flying more than two hundred thousand miles away from Earth is difficult and — at some points in the journey — will be impossible. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Jan. 2022 The technology holds promise for speeding up communications with spacecraft in Earth orbit and in deep space. William Harwood, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2021 The first flight of NASA’s massive Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft on top of it is on track for the first part of next year, Nelson said, possibly as early as February. Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2021 Those nations’ opposition stems from a longtime debate over whether to instead focus efforts at the UN on negotiating new treaties among all nations with spacecraft, because treaties carry more weight and can be more clearly enforceable. Ramin Skibba, Wired, 3 Nov. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1929, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
spacecraft
noun
space·craft ˈspās-ˌkraft
plural spacecraft
: a vehicle for travel beyond the earth's atmosphere