thermal barrier
noun Aeronautics, Rocketry.
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.
Also called
heat barrier.
Origin of thermal barrier
First recorded in 1950–55
Words nearby thermal barrier
British Dictionary definitions for thermal barrier
thermal barrier
noun
an obstacle to flight at very high speeds as a result of the heating effect of air friction
Also called: heat barrier