retropack
/ˈrɛtroʊˌpæk/
noun
- A small rocket engine on a spacecraft that fires in the opposite direction of travel to slow it down or change its course.
- A malfunction in the retropack caused the spacecraft to overshoot its landing zone.
- The astronaut fired the retropack to slow the capsule for re-entry.
- Engineers tested the retropack before the mission to ensure it would work in space.
Synonyms