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Glite Dictionary
🔄 A slowing action 🛑 To slow a spacecraft 🚀 A slowing rocket
to retrofire

to retrofire

9.5
To fire a rocket engine backward to slow or change a spacecraft's path
  • verb
  • /ˈrɛtroʊfaɪər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : retropropulsar
  • The spacecraft will retrofire its engines to slow down.

Examples

  • Mission control instructed the probe to retrofire in order to enter orbit around Mars.

  • If the rocket does not retrofire at the correct time, it could miss its landing site.

  • The spacecraft will retrofire its engines before re-entering the atmosphere.

  • NASA plans to retrofire the shuttle during re-entry.

  • The spacecraft will retrofire its engines before re-entering the atmosphere.

  • Mission control instructed the probe to retrofire in order to enter orbit around Mars.

  • If the rocket does not retrofire at the correct time, it could miss its landing site.

How Intense

to retrofire
  • Specialized
9.5
to ignite
66 4.0
pulse
  • Specialized
226 5.6

Surface Forms

retrofire infinitive
retrofired past
retrofired past participle
retrofiring present participle
retrofires third person singular

Morphology

retrofire = fire (semi-transparent) = retro + fire

The prefix 'retro-' indicates backward or reverse, and 'fire' as a verb is clear, but the specific application to rocket propulsion is specialized.

Etymology

The word retrofire combines retro- 'back' with fire 'to shoot', so to retrofire is to fire an engine backward to slow a spacecraft or change its course.