# spacecraft

/ˈspeɪsˌkɹæft/ (US) · /spˈeɪskɹɑːft/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spacecraft
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

a vehicle designed to travel or operate in space. It can carry people or be controlled by computers from Earth.

For teachers: a vehicle or machine designed for flight or operation beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Refers to both crewed and uncrewed vessels.

## Examples

- The spacecraft entered the planet's orbit this morning.
- Engineers spent years testing the spacecraft's heat shield to ensure it could survive the intense friction of atmospheric reentry.
- Modern spacecraft rely on sophisticated autonomous systems to navigate the vast distances between celestial bodies where real-time communication with ground control is impossible due to signal delay.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The two spacecrafts landed safely." but "The two spacecraft landed safely." — The plural of spacecraft is spacecraft; adding an 's' is a common error.

## Usage notes

- The plural form is identical to the singular ('one spacecraft', 'two spacecraft').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.