Of a spacecraft or aircraft, to land in the ocean or another body of water
When a spaceship or rocket lands in the sea at the end of a mission
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
Of a spacecraft or space capsule, to land in the sea at the end of a mission
"The Apollo 11 command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969."
The Orion capsule splashed down off the coast of Baja California.
— NASA mission report, Artemis I, December 2022
To fall or drop into water with a splash, used of any object or person
"The stone splashed down into the pond and sank immediately."
To come down and splash into water — fully transparent
When a spaceship or rocket lands in the sea at the end of a mission
Primarily a technical and journalistic term associated with space exploration. Gained wide usage during the NASA Apollo and Mercury programs. Can occasionally describe other objects hitting water with force. The noun 'splashdown' (one word) is also common.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
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