SpaceWordGame

A fun way to get up to speed on space jargon, by proposing better meanings for exciting-sounding words from way way up beyond the atmosphere. There are many fabulous words used in the space business every day -- bring them into your workplace with you, fresh with new meanings, and impress your co-workers. With a nod to Douglas Adams and John Lloyd who did something much more powerful for placenames, this was inspired by The Snowball Herminator, who takes all credit and no responsibility.

2011-03-03

Retrograde

Retrograde means contrary to the normal direction of motion or rotation. A retrograde orbit is one that goes in the opposite direction of the rotation of the body being orbited. A retrograde manoeuvre opposes the direction of travel. Weirdly, 2 of the planets in the solar system have retrograde motion (on their own axes): Venus and Uranus. Venus' axial tilt is 177 degrees, so its spinning almost exactly in the opposite direction to its orbital rotation.

SpaceWordGame

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2011-03-03

Retrograde

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