1. the landing of a spacecraft in the ocean
Usage: aerospace

1. to land in water, especially of a spacecraft
Usage: aerospace

Examples

• The Apollo 11 capsule had a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
• Mission control monitored the spacecraft’s splashdown coordinates.
• The crew was recovered shortly after splashdown.
• The capsule will splashdown west of Hawaii.
• Recovery ships waited near the planned splashdown site.
• The parachutes deployed before the spacecraft splashed down.