sounding rocket

noun

: a rocket used especially to obtain information concerning atmospheric conditions at various altitudes

Examples of sounding rocket in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Esrange has been the departure point for numerous suborbital and sounding rocket for nearly 50 years, but the spaceport is being upgraded for orbital satellite launches. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 28 June 2024 The Parker Solar Probe and the Solar Orbiter will soon be accompanied by other solar-observing spacecraft and sounding rockets, which will observe the sun from Earth's atmosphere. Rebecca Boyle, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2024 Solar eclipse experiment:Here's why NASA is launching 3 sounding rockets into space during the total solar eclipse Total solar eclipse path of totality map The 115-mile-wide path of totality will pass from southwest to northeast over portions of Mexico the United States and Canada. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024 Three sounding rockets are set to lift off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia before, during and after the eclipse to measure the impact of the sun on Earth’s upper atmosphere, known as the ionosphere. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sounding rocket 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sounding rocket.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sounding rocket was circa 1945

Dictionary Entries Near sounding rocket

Cite this Entry

“Sounding rocket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sounding%20rocket. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on sounding rocket

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!