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Definition of "apoapsis" [apoapsis]

  • The point of a body's elliptical orbit about the system's centre of mass where the distance between the body and the centre of mass is at its maximum. (noun)

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Use "apoapsis" in a sentence
  • "Aerobraking would both require an out-of-plane orbit to keep from running the gauntlet of the ring particles for millions of km every orbit and, once the apoapsis was lowered to the distance of the rings, leave the craft moving far slower than the orbital speed of the rings."
  • "This was the apoapsis maneuver setting up for the Titan 71 encounter on July 7."
  • "All apoapsis maneuver numbers up to this point have been divisible by three."