lithocapture

English

Etymology

From litho- (“pertaining to stone”) ‎ capture, coined as a pun on aerocapture and lithobraking.

Pronunciation

(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

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

lithocapture (third-person singular simple present lithocaptures, present participle lithocapturing, simple past and past participle lithocaptured)

(astronautics, humorous) To perform lithocapture.

Related terms

lithobrake