heat shield

American  

noun

Aerospace.

1. a coating or structure that surrounds part of the nose cone or other vulnerable surfaces of a spacecraft and, by heat absorption or ablation, protects them from excessive heating during reentry.

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heat shield British  

noun

1. 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 Scientific  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of heat shield

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Testing of Orion's heat shield also continues, with individual heat shield blocks undergoing ultrasonic inspections before installation.

From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026

Their return journey will test an upgraded heat shield during the capsule's fiery re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

A top lieutenant of Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg for more than 20 years, Bosworth’s outspokenness and hard-charging style have made him a magnet for controversy—and, at times, a useful heat shield for his billionaire boss.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

The upper stage has several test objectives, including cargo deployment and heat shield development.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

If we made the heat shield and outer hull detachable, they could ditch a lot of weight after landing at Ares 3, and have a lighter ship for the traverse to Ares 4.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir