A piece of stone or metal that travels freely through space is called a meteoroid.

Here's a breakdown of the terms:

* Meteoroid: A small piece of rock or metal that orbits the Sun.

* Meteor: The streak of light we see when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere and burns up.

* Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its fiery passage through the atmosphere and lands on Earth.

So, the term you're looking for depends on the context:

* If it's just floating in space, it's a meteoroid.

* If it's burning up in the atmosphere, it's a meteor.

* If it hits the ground, it's a meteorite.