heat shield

heat shield

n.

A barrier that prevents the heating of a space or an object by absorbing, reflecting, or dissipating external heat, especially a protective structure on a spacecraft or missile that dissipates heat on atmospheric reentry by melting and vaporizing.

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heat shield

n

(Astronautics) a coating or barrier for shielding from excessive heat, such as that experienced by a spacecraft on re-entry into the earth's atmosphere

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heat shield

A barrier that prevents a substance from absorbing heat energy from an outside source by absorbing and dissipating, or simply reflecting, that heat. Heat shields are commonly used to protect parts of a device from heat generated by its energy source, as in isolating the cabin of a car from its motor. Many spacecraft dissipate heat generated by friction with the atmosphere upon reentry using heat shields that melt and vaporize, dissipating the energy back into the atmosphere.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

heat shield - a protective covering that protects a spacecraft from overheating on reentry nose cone, ogive - front consisting of the conical head of a missile or rocket that protects the payload from heat during its passage through the atmosphere protective cover, protective covering, protection - a covering that is intend to protect from damage or injury; "they had no protection from the fallout"; "wax provided protection for the floors" ballistic capsule, space vehicle, spacecraft - a craft capable of traveling in outer space; technically, a satellite around the sun