lithocapture
English edit
Etymology edit
litho- (“pertaining to stone”) + capture, coined as a pun on aerocapture and lithobraking.
Pronunciation edit
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈlɪ.θoʊˌkæp.t͡ʃɚ/, /ˈlɪ.θəˌkæp.t͡ʃɚ/, /ˈlɪ.θoʊ.kæpˌt͡ʃɚ/, /ˈlɪ.θə.kæpˌt͡ʃɚ/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈlɪ.θoʊˌkæp.t͡ʃə/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun edit
lithocapture (countable and uncountable, plural lithocaptures)
- (astronautics, humorous) A form of lithobraking in which a spacecraft or other object on a hyperbolic trajectory inbound to a planet, moon, asteroid, or other celestial body is decelerated by impact with the surface of the body.
- 2020, Jonathan C. McDowell, “Astronautical Glossary”, in Jonathan's Space Report[1], retrieved 21 February 2021:
- If the initial orbit is hyperbolic, lithobraking would properly be termed lithocapture.
Verb edit
lithocapture (third-person singular simple present lithocaptures, present participle lithocapturing, simple past and past participle lithocaptured)
- (astronautics, humorous) To perform lithocapture.