planetfall
Spacecraft surface landing
Planetfall is the act of landing on a planet after a journey through space, or the moment when a spacecraft touches down on a planetary surface.
The term mirrors landfall, which describes a ship reaching land after an ocean voyage.
Used primarily in science fiction: The crew prepared for planetfall on the third moon of Jupiter.
Six-point gridiron play
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- approachWay of handling something
- reentryComing back in
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
surface · gravity · orbital · deceleration · trajectory · braking · entry · insertion
Fictional interstellar vessel
- interstellarBetween celestial bodies
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- exoplanetPlanet outside our system
- alienNon-native being
crewmember · airlock · shuttle · lander · module · bridge · captain · coordinates
Protected place or structure
- resourcesAvailable assets or supplies
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
life-support · provisions · hazards · elements · rescue · stranded · emergency · rations
Resolved dispute or colony
- outpostRemote military station
- colonyDependent territorial settlement
- terraformingModifying worlds for habitability
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
base · pioneers · homesteading · dome · infrastructure · agriculture · expansion · foothold
touchdown
Six-point gridiron play
atmosphere · surface · gravity · orbital · deceleration · trajectory · braking · entry · insertion · contact
starship
Fictional interstellar vessel
- interstellarBetween celestial bodies
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- exoplanetPlanet outside our system
alien · crewmember · airlock · shuttle · lander · module · bridge · captain · coordinates · sensors
shelter
Protected place or structure
- resourcesAvailable assets or supplies
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
adaptation · life-support · provisions · hazards · elements · rescue · stranded · emergency · rations · salvage
settlement
Resolved dispute or colony
- outpostRemote military station
- colonyDependent territorial settlement
- terraformingModifying worlds for habitability
habitat · base · pioneers · homesteading · dome · infrastructure · agriculture · expansion · foothold · beachhead
expedition
Organized exploratory journey
- discoveryAct of finding something
- explorationTraveling through unknown regions
- surveySystematic data collection
reconnaissance · uncharted · frontier · probe · scout · mapping · terrain · landfall · excursion · investigate
planetfallorbit
Curved celestial path
stable orbit · spaceflight · deep space · escape velocity · free fall
planet, fall, planets, planetary, planetarium, falls, fallen, falling, fell