astrogator n.

one who practices astrogation; (also) an instrument used for this purpose

  • 1931 D. Lasser The Conquest of Space 211 David Lasser bibliography

    Surely a complete faith in the laws of mathematics and astronomy must be the first requisite of the interplanetary astrogator.

  • 1935 S. G. Weinbaum Planet of Doubt in Astounding Stories Oct. 108/1 page image Stanley G. Weinbaum bibliography

    Harbord was a good astrogator.

  • 1935 S. G. Weinbaum Planet of Doubt in Astounding Stories Oct. 126/2 page image Stanley G. Weinbaum bibliography

    ‘Not with a woman aboard,’ grunted the astrogator.

  • 1942 T. Sturgeon Medusa in Astounding Science-Fiction Feb. 80/2 page image Theodore Sturgeon bibliography

    Your job is to tend the control machinery, and to act as assistant astrogator no matter what happens.

  • 1953 R. A. Heinlein Starman Jones (1975) ii. 30 Robert A. Heinlein

    So you want to be an astrogator?

  • 1953 R. A. Heinlein Starman Jones (1980) xx. 186 Robert A. Heinlein

    I'll astrogate—shucks, I suppose it’s all right to call me the astrogator, under the circumstances.

  • 1960 G. Conklin Six Great Short Science Fiction Novels 318 Groff Conklin

    Blast the astragator! All it gives is courses that swing around the whole rim of the System.

  • 1988 A. C. Clarke 2061: Odyssey Three 144 Arthur C. Clarke

    The astrogator was carrying a set of charts, and seemed a little ill at ease.

  • 1993 D. Carey Great Starship Race xix. 260 Diane Carey

    In minutes there were only a few amber lights left on the panels…and the milky glow of Chekov’s navigation astrogator.

  • 1994 B. Hambly Crossroad ii.17 Barbara Hambly

    My astrogator and supercargo. We're free traders.

  • 1995 J. Barnes Kaleidoscope Cent. (1996) 250

    Don’t try to hack the control systems—you could screw up life support. Besides, you’re not an astrogator.

  • 1998 G. Cox Assignment: Eternity viii. 124 Greg Cox bibliography

    Next to him, on the other side of the astrogator, Ensign Sheryl Gates filled in for Chekov at the navigation console.

  • 2005 C. Stross Accelerando vii. 283 Charles Stross bibliography

    His gaze skitters around the room, looking anywhere but at Amber—and Pierre, her lanky toy-boy astrogator and bed warmer—as he laces his fingers.

  • 2012 J. Scalzi Redshirts (2013) 175 page image John Scalzi bibliography

    ‘I have no idea where I’m going,’ Kerensky said. ‘You’re an astrogator,’ Duval said. ‘This is a road.’

Research requirements

antedating 1931
Earliest cite

David Lasser, "the Conquest of Space"
Research History
Bill Seabrook located and Mike Christie confirmed a Feb 1942 cite from Theodore Sturgeon's "Medusa".
Rick Hauptmann submitted a cite from a reprint of Robert Heinlein's "Universe"; Mike Christie verified it in the original 1941 magazine appearance.
Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1935 cite from Stanley Weinbaum's "The Planet of Doubt".
Adam Buchbinder submitted a 1931 cite from David Lasser's "the Conquest of Space"

Earliest cite in the OED: Nov 1942
Earliest cite in Brave New Words: 1935

Last modified 2023-05-15 14:01:02
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.