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Aerospace glossary

Orbital propellant transfer

Also called in-orbit refueling, on-orbit refueling, cryogenic propellant transfer, ship-to-ship transfer

Moving rocket propellant from one spacecraft to another in orbit, so a vehicle can refill after launch and continue to the Moon or beyond. Doing it with cryogenic propellants, which slowly boil off, is far harder than with storable ones.

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Launch and spaceflight operations

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