Van Allen belt
noun
Van Al·len belt
van-ˈa-lən- 
: a belt of intense radiation in the magnetosphere composed of energetic charged particles trapped by the earth's magnetic field
also
: a similar belt surrounding another planet
Examples of Van Allen belt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The huge amounts of radiation in the Van Allen belts can pose major risks for the host of satellites that pass through or orbit within these swaths of space.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2014
During the Polaris Dawn mission, Isaacman piloted the capsule through the intense radiation of the Van Allen belt in low Earth orbit, before leading a surreal spacewalk, backlit by a glowing blue globe, and then navigating the Dragon’s fiery atmospheric reentry.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
SpaceX has said the findings could help with planning missions to the moon and eventually Mars, which would require astronauts to fly through the inner and outer Van Allen belts.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2024
Polaris Dawn reaches the radiation belts The Van Allen belts trap concentrations of high-energy particles that come from the sun and interact with Earth’s atmosphere, creating two dangerous bands of radiation, according to NASA.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
The crew traveled through the Van Allen belts on their way to the furthest point in their journey, and, so far, the tech aboard the capsule — and the astronauts — seem to have withstood that radiation.
—Ellen Ioanes, Vox, 12 Sep. 2024
The Van Allen belts pose one of the largest hazards to spacefarers venturing deep into the cosmos.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
Starfish Prime created a new artificial belt of radiation in low-Earth orbit and also increased the intensity of the existing Van Allen belts.
—Joshua Keating, Vox, 12 Apr. 2022
The satellite carried out an experiment to take measurements of the Van Allen belts and relay information to Earth in real time.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2024
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.
IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2014
During the Polaris Dawn mission, Isaacman piloted the capsule through the intense radiation of the Van Allen belt in low Earth orbit, before leading a surreal spacewalk, backlit by a glowing blue globe, and then navigating the Dragon’s fiery atmospheric reentry.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
SpaceX has said the findings could help with planning missions to the moon and eventually Mars, which would require astronauts to fly through the inner and outer Van Allen belts.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2024
Polaris Dawn reaches the radiation belts The Van Allen belts trap concentrations of high-energy particles that come from the sun and interact with Earth’s atmosphere, creating two dangerous bands of radiation, according to NASA.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
The crew traveled through the Van Allen belts on their way to the furthest point in their journey, and, so far, the tech aboard the capsule — and the astronauts — seem to have withstood that radiation.
—Ellen Ioanes, Vox, 12 Sep. 2024
The Van Allen belts pose one of the largest hazards to spacefarers venturing deep into the cosmos.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
Starfish Prime created a new artificial belt of radiation in low-Earth orbit and also increased the intensity of the existing Van Allen belts.
—Joshua Keating, Vox, 12 Apr. 2022
The satellite carried out an experiment to take measurements of the Van Allen belts and relay information to Earth in real time.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Van Allen belt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Van%20Allen%20belt. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Van Allen belt
noun
Van Al·len belt
va-ˌnal-ən-
və-
: a belt of high-energy charged particles that surrounds the earth in the magnetosphere
Etymology
named for James A. Van Allen born 1914 American physicist
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share