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
Using gas as an insulator for spacecraft could replace traditional, single-use heat shields that burn away or the heat-resistant ceramic tiles that need to be replaced between flights, making spacecraft more fully and rapidly reusable, according to a statement from Texas A&M University.
—
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 11 May 2025
During the flight, the Orion spacecraft was found to have heat shield issues upon reentry forcing some adjustments to its planned trajectory.
—Brooke Edwards, USA Today, 2 May 2025
SpaceX's Starship has an advanced heat shield, made up of approximately 18,000 hexagonal tiles.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
Phoenix 1 was tasked with demonstrating some key reentry tech, such as the capsule's inflatable heat shield.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heat shield
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.
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 11 May 2025
During the flight, the Orion spacecraft was found to have heat shield issues upon reentry forcing some adjustments to its planned trajectory.
—Brooke Edwards, USA Today, 2 May 2025
SpaceX's Starship has an advanced heat shield, made up of approximately 18,000 hexagonal tiles.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
Phoenix 1 was tasked with demonstrating some key reentry tech, such as the capsule's inflatable heat shield.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heat shield
Cite this Entry
“Heat shield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat%20shield. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share