thermal barrier

American  

noun

Aeronautics, Rocketry.

1. the high temperatures produced by the friction between a supersonic object and the earth's atmosphere that limit the speed of an airplane or rocket.

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thermal barrier British  

noun

1. Also called: heat barrier.  an obstacle to flight at very high speeds as a result of the heating effect of air friction

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Etymology

Origin of thermal barrier

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Buried inside the extra-thick walls of these homes are layers of high-density fiberglass insulation flanked by rigid foam boards taped together at the seams to forge a thermal barrier.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 14, 2016

The Okanogan River warmed up enough to create the "thermal barrier" that means optimum conditions for king fishing.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2012

More and more kings are moving up the Columbia and arriving in Brewster every day, and that thermal barrier will keep them there.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2012

In the supersonic age, Kindelberger and other planemakers face a new challenge to tax their ingenuity: the thermal barrier.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the current issue of Skyline magazine, Vice President Ray Rice of North American Aviation, Inc. explains why the thermal barrier can only be pushed ahead, never completely overcome.

From Time Magazine Archive