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lithocapture. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
lithocapture, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
lithocapture in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
From litho- (“pertaining to stone”) + capture, coined as a pun on aerocapture and lithobraking.
Pronunciation
Noun
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, retrieved 21 February 2021:If the initial orbit is hyperbolic, lithobraking would properly be termed lithocapture.
Verb
lithocapture (third-person singular simple present lithocaptures, present participle lithocapturing, simple past and past participle lithocaptured)
- (astronautics, humorous) To perform lithocapture.