lithocapture

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US/ˈlɪ.θoʊˌkæp.t͡ʃɚ/US/ˈlɪ.θəˌkæp.t͡ʃɚ/US/ˈlɪ.θoʊ.kæpˌt͡ʃɚ/US/ˈlɪ.θə.kæpˌt͡ʃɚ/

noun

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.

Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounlithocapture (countable and uncountable, plural lithocaptures)

plural lithocaptures

  1. countablehumorousuncountablespace flightA 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.

    If the initial orbit is hyperbolic, lithobraking would properly be termed lithocapture.

    2020, Jonathan C. McDowell, “Astronautical Glossary”, in Jonathan's Space Report, retrieved 21 Feb 2021
verblithocapture (third-person singular simple present lithocaptures, present participle lithocapturing, simple past and past participle lithocaptured)

present singular third person lithocaptures · participle present lithocapturing · participle past lithocaptured · past lithocaptured

  1. humorousspace flightTo perform lithocapture.

Origin

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

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

lithocapture. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithocapture

MLA

“lithocapture.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithocapture. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lithocapture,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithocapture.

Source: lithocapture on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.