heat shield

noun

: a barrier of ablative material to protect a space capsule from heat on its entry into an atmosphere

Examples of heat shield in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To keep the astronauts safe, Dragon employs a heat shield to keep it from burning up during re-entry. Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2025 The capsule used a heat shield with a Thermal Protection System (TPS) developed in collaboration with NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. Andrew Jones, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025 Officials were eager to assess the performance of Starship Block 2's heat shield before committing to an attempt to recover the ship intact (like SpaceX is already doing with the Super Heavy booster) on a future mission. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 7 Mar. 2025 The space planes feature delta wings, heat shield tiles and a compat payload bay, and are powered by an extendable solar array that allows for extremely long flights. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heat shield

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heat shield was in 1962

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Cite this Entry

“Heat shield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat%20shield. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

heat shield

noun
: a barrier of insulation to protect a space capsule from heat on its return to earth
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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