Q:
Is there a technical difference between a spacecraft vs. satellite? eg, all spacecraft can be satellites but not all satellites can be spacecrafts?
A:
A spacecraft is a vehicle or device designed for travel or operation outside the Earth’s atmosphere, whereas a satellite is an object that orbits the Earth, the moon, or another celestial body. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope are spacecrafts that are in orbit around the Earth, so they are also artificial satellites. The moon is a natural satellite of Earth, and Jupiter’s moons are natural satellites of Jupiter. The Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft are not satellites because they are not in an orbit around any object.
Revised: September 15, 2008