What is the difference, if any, between spaceship and spacecraft?

Question

I'm confused about the difference, if any, between the meaning/usage of spaceship and spacecraft.

Different dictionaries seem to disagree on it:

• https://www.dictionary.com/browse/spaceship: defines spaceship as a synonym of spacecraft.

• https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/spacecraft:

  Vehicle used for travel in space: a manned/unmanned spacecraft (= with/without people inside)

• https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/spaceship:

  (especially in stories) a vehicle used for travel in space

• Definitions from Oxford Languages:

  • spaceship: a spacecraft, especially one controlled by a crew.
  • spacecraft: a vehicle used for traveling in space.

In other words, the first dictionary says there are no differences, the second dictionary says spaceship is mostly used in stories, and the third dictionary says that it depends on whether the vehicle is controlled by a crew.

Related: Is there a difference between a spaceship and a starship? (the difference is more clear in that case).

Answer 1

A spacecraft is a simple common term for satellites, probes, and space stations.

A spaceship tends to be used in science fiction for a large and crewed spacecraft that is not a satellite.

Hubble is an unmanned spacecraft and space telescope.

The spaceship in the Star Trek series was called the USS Enterprise.

There is flexibility on these terms, but it would be unusual for someone working in NASA to talk about "spaceships". If you want to talk about the real world, use spacecraft.

However, Space X have named their large rocket "Starship"