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service module
noun
: a space vehicle module that contains oxygen, water, fuel cells, propellant tanks, and the main rocket engine
Examples of service module in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the helium leak in the Starliner's service module, detected during the May 6 countdown, has proven to be more difficult to resolve to everyone's satisfaction.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 22 May 2024
The cause is the same as the last couple of delays: a leak of helium from the craft’s service module.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 22 May 2024
The first crewed launch of Boeing's troubled Starliner spacecraft has been delayed again, to May 25, this time because of a helium leak in the service module.
—John Helton, NPR, 18 May 2024
The Starliner capsule and its service module are attached to the Atlas 5 booster's thinner Centaur upper stage for launch.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 7 May 2024
Boeing has long-standing and historic ties to the aerospace industry in Southern California — the Apollo command and service modules were built at North American Aviation’s plant in Downey.
—Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2024
Both the ascent vehicle and waiting service module will begin phasing maneuvers needed to rendezvous and dock, made possible by inertial measurement units, radar and optical navigation, docking ports, capture mechanisms and software algorithms, again using Chang’e-5’s mission profile as guide.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2024
The samples will be transferred to a reentry module aboard the service module, which will then prepare for the trip back to Earth.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2024
The leak is in Russia’s Zvezda service module, in a vestibule between the port where the Progress spacecraft docks and the rest of the module, writes Space News’ Jeff Foust.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'service module.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1961, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Service module.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/service%20module. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
service module
noun
: a part of a space vehicle containing oxygen, water, fuel cells, fuel tanks, and the main rocket engine
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