upper stage

American

[uhp-er steyj] / ˈʌp ər ˈsteɪdʒ /

noun

Rocketry.

in a two-stage or multistage rocket, a secondary stage that is activated after the primary or lowest stage has fallen away, and that propels the spacecraft or other payload into orbit or on its intended interplanetary trajectory.

Etymology

Origin of upper stage

First recorded 1955–60

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

upper stage

That ship is the upper stage of SpaceX’s Starship rocket, which the company launched from Texas late last month.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

The upper stage of another Falcon 9 recently crashed into the moon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

The crater appeared after a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage struck the lunar surface on Aug. 5.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

Around six minutes after separating from the rocket's upper stage, its booster returned to Earth vertically and was recovered on a floating platform.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

The upper stage of the Saturn V moon rocket was converted into living quarters for three astronauts.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023