suborbital
adjective
sub·or·bit·al
ˌsəb-ˈȯr-bə-tᵊl 
1
: situated beneath the eye or the orbit of the eye
2
: being or involving less than one orbit (as of the earth or moon)
also
: intended for suborbital flight
Examples of suborbital in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bezos has sunk billions into the company, which had previously only launched its suborbital New Shepard rockets from its West Texas launch site.
—
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2025
Headquartered in Elche, Spain, PLD Space celebrated its first suborbital launch in October 2023, when the company shot a test rocket into the upper atmosphere from southern Spain in a demonstration of the propulsion technology to be used on its orbital rocket, the partially reusable Miura 5.
—ArsTechnica, 9 July 2025
And for suborbital space tourism, quibbling over definitions can take on a life of its own.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025
Led by seven-time space shuttle mission specialist Jerry Ross, the seven other astronauts at the event included fellow shuttle veterans Roy Bridges, Mark Polansky and Charlie Walker, as well as suborbital fliers Sirisha Bandla, Marc Eagle, Beth Moses and Audrey Powers.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for suborbital
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Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2025
Headquartered in Elche, Spain, PLD Space celebrated its first suborbital launch in October 2023, when the company shot a test rocket into the upper atmosphere from southern Spain in a demonstration of the propulsion technology to be used on its orbital rocket, the partially reusable Miura 5.
—ArsTechnica, 9 July 2025
And for suborbital space tourism, quibbling over definitions can take on a life of its own.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025
Led by seven-time space shuttle mission specialist Jerry Ross, the seven other astronauts at the event included fellow shuttle veterans Roy Bridges, Mark Polansky and Charlie Walker, as well as suborbital fliers Sirisha Bandla, Marc Eagle, Beth Moses and Audrey Powers.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for suborbital
Cite this Entry
“Suborbital.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suborbital. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
suborbital
adjective
sub·or·bit·al
ˌsəb-ˈȯr-bət-ᵊl
: situated or occurring beneath the eye or the orbit of the eye
suborbital fat
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