Full record for shuttlecraft n.

Definition a small spacecraft designed for ferrying freight or humans between a planetary surface and a spaceship in orbit
OED requirements antedating 1967
Earliest cite E. Hamilton 'The Weapon From Beyond'
Comment There are earlier examples in Star Trek scripts, but we don't have access to them.

Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a reprint of George R.R. Martin's "Loaves and Fishes", and Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1985 first magazine appearance. Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite for the form "shuttle craft" from a reprint of George R.R. Martin's "Guardians", and Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1981 first magazine appearance. Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1990 reprint of Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee's "Rama II"; the cite is actually from a promotional excerpt from Clarke and Lee's "Garden of Rama". Katrina Campbell submitted a 1981 cite from Bob Shaw's "Galactic Tours". Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1989 reprint of Mike Resnick's 1988 "Ivory". Douglas Winston submitted a 1989 cite from Joe Clifford Faust's "Desperate Measures". Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1992 reprint of Anne McCaffrey's 1991 "Pegasus in Flight". Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a reprint of Edmond Hamilton's "The Weapon From Beyond"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1967 first edition.

In the OED update June 2003, There is a preliminary entry for non-SF (earliest cite 1950) and SF (earliest cite 1967)

Last modified 6 July, 2008

Citations for shuttlecraft n.

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1967 E. Hamilton Weapon From Beyond 150 They marched across the blowing sand and into the golden shuttle-craft that would take them to the rescue ship.
1968 S. E. Whitfield in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ ii. ii. 191 The ship's hangar deck area, where the vessel's shuttlecraft are stored, is located at the aft end.
1970 J. Blish Spock must Die! x. 69 We almost never have any need for a shuttlecraft which can't be filled better and faster by the transporter.
1974 J. Blish Star Trek 10 54 The shuttlecraft taxied toward them and moved out into the emptiness of space.
1981 B. Shaw Galactic Tours 13 Our picture shows the practice areas in use by suited and unsuited vacationers, the illusion of actually being in space enhanced by the sight of a shuttle craft approaching one of the station's receiving bays.
1981 G. R. R. Martin in Analog Sci. Fiction/Sci. Fact Mag. 12 Oct. 31/2 Excellent!‥. I shall instruct you in the peculiar idiosyncracies of my shuttle craft, then.
1985 S. Sucharitkul Alien Swordmaster i. i. 5 The shuttlecraft falling from the sky.
1985 M. W. Bonanno Dwellers in Crucible xiii. 263 The shuttlecraft has left the Federation mother ship.
1988 M. Resnick Ivory (1989) 314 He found the ivory in a small chamber some thirty feet away, and dragged it back to the shuttlecraft, one task at a time.
1989 D. Dvorkin & D. Dvorkin Star Trek: Next Generation: Captains' Honor i. 22 Please—come to us by shuttlecraft. We would like to receive you in the appropriate style.
1989 J. C. Faust Desperate Measures 33 The very effort of boarding one of the battered shuttlecraft caused a line of perspiration to break out across Duke's forehead.
1991 M. Weiss King's Test ii. v. 139 The voice of the captain of the shuttlecraft came over the commlink.
1993 V. E. Mitchell Windows on Lost World ii. 13 The archaeologist wanted the shuttlecraft close to their working site.
1995 Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch Star Trek Voyager: Escape i. 2 ‘Report.’ Captain Janeway's voice came clearly through the communications system of the bucking shuttlecraft.
1995 Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch Star Trek Voyager: Escape xi. 122 That's an understatement. One piece of equipment was a wreck twice the size of a shuttlecraft and older than God.
1997 J. Vornholt Mind Meld i. 1 His only means of reaching the shuttlecraft field undetected was through this sewer.
1998 G. Cox Assignment: Eternity xvii. 227 We've lost the shuttlecraft hanger doors.
1999 C. Pellegrino & G. Zebrowski Star Trek Next Generation: Dyson Sphere iii. 52 The interior of the shuttlecraft Balboa had seats suitable for humanoids as well as saddles for Hortas.
2002 Cult Times Apr. 65/3 The crew leaves Data for dead when his shuttlecraft explodes during a dangerous mission.