space probe
Loading your saved state.
space probe
An unmanned spacecraft that is sent into space to explore celestial bodies such as planets, moons, or comets and send scientific data back to Earth.
Die Raumsonde Voyager 1 hat unser Sonnensystem bereits verlassen.
The Voyager 1 space probe has already left our solar system.
The word is a compound of 'Raum' (space, here in the sense of outer space) and 'Sonde' (probe). A probe is a device used to investigate something unknown.
Die Raumsonde „Juno“ untersucht den Planeten Jupiter.
The 'Juno' space probe is studying the planet Jupiter.
The base word 'die Sonde' (the probe) refers to an instrument used for exploration or investigation. If you know this word, you will also understand other terms such as 'Wettersonde' (weather balloon/probe) or 'Magensonde' (stomach tube, in the medical field).
Eine Wettersonde sammelt Daten über die Atmosphäre.
A weather probe collects data about the atmosphere.
Typical verbs used with 'Raumsonde' (space probe) are 'starten' (to launch), 'entsenden' (to send out), or 'schicken' (to send). When the probe is active, it 'erforscht' (explores) or 'untersucht' (studies/investigates) something.
Die NASA plant, eine neue Raumsonde zum Mars zu schicken.
NASA is planning to send a new space probe to Mars.
rocket
'die Rakete' and 'die Raumsonde' can both have to do with space travel. But they are not the same thing. A 'Rakete' is mainly the flying device or propulsion system that brings something into space. A 'Raumsonde' is an unmanned device that collects data in space, for example about planets or comets. Learners may confuse the words because a space probe is often launched with a rocket. A more natural way to think of it is: the 'Rakete' launches, the 'Raumsonde' explores.
Die Raumsonde sendet neue Bilder vom Mars zur Erde.
The space probe is sending new images of Mars back to Earth.
Am Abend sahen wir im Fernsehen den Start der Rakete.
In the evening, we watched the rocket launch on television.