Meaning & use
space station
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A large spacecraft that stays in orbit around Earth and lets people live and work in space for long periods.
Grammar: Countable: a space station, two space stations.
Patterns
- on a space station
- aboard a space station
The International Space Station has been continuously occupied since 2000.
Astronauts conduct experiments on the space station.
The space station orbits Earth about every 90 minutes.
Word forms
| plural | space stations |
|---|
Common combinations
- the International Space Station
- The International Space Station is a joint project of several countries.
- on the space station
- They grew plants on the space station to study how they react to microgravity.
- aboard a space station
- Living aboard a space station requires careful exercise to stay healthy.
- build a space station
- Several nations worked together to build a space station.
Commonly confused: space station or spacecraft?
space station vs spacecraft
A spacecraft travels between places, while a space station stays in orbit and is not designed to leave.
Practice
What is the main difference between a space station and a spacecraft?
Choose one answer.
A space station remains in orbit for long periods, but a spacecraft is built to travel. The other options are false.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “space station”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.