space shuttle
69
4.2
- noun
- /speɪs ˈʃʌtəl/
- Specialized
:
transbordador espacial
- During the 1980s, the space shuttle program significantly advanced our ability to conduct research in low Earth orbit.
- space shuttle astronauts
- a space shuttle flight
- launch a space shuttle
The Bran was supposed to be a Soviet version of the of the space shuttle.
- The Bran was supposed to be a Soviet version of the of the space shuttle.
- But then on the space walking suit outside the space shuttle or the space station, there's a dial on your chest.
- OK, so it's, it's literally the space shuttle cockpit that they built to put the astronauts in to train.
- They built all of the extra vehicle activity suits for, you know, the, you know, space shuttle, International Space Station, American astronauts.
- NASA pioneered, you know, the space shuttle became a delivery truck.
- And since then it's been part of the space shuttle.
- It could be maintained and upgraded using the space shuttle.
- And, and my other model experience was the space shuttle.
- I mean, when the last time you seen an astronaut mopping up the space shuttle?
Examples
-
Getting the Space Shuttle into even its low Earth orbit takes considerable fuel.
Academic text (2000) -
I went to a space shuttle launch.
-
This is the space shuttle.
-
Retirement of the space shuttles this year will free up almost $2.4 billion for use in other programs.
Academic text (2011) -
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into Earth's orbit in 1990 by the space shuttle Discovery.
Academic text (2011) -
The space shuttle launched into the sky, carrying astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station.
-
Many students dream of becoming an astronaut and traveling on a space shuttle to explore the universe.
Synonyms
165
4.2
A vehicle that travels in outer space
4
3.5
A machine built to travel in outer space, like a spacecraft or satellite
1
7.1
A vehicle that can fly like a plane and travel into space
How Reusable
- Specialized
69
4.2
- Specialized
1
5.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'space' (the region beyond Earth) + 'shuttle' (a vehicle that runs regular back-and-forth trips): i.e., a vehicle that shuttles to/from space. This noun–noun compound is a transparent, literal formation found across many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will very likely understand it.
Etymology
The noun space shuttle comes from the word shuttle, which means something that moves back and forth, like a bus. With space added, it pictures a vehicle that goes between Earth and space and comes back, so the name fits a craft that carries people and cargo on many trips.