suborbital

adjective

sub·​or·​bit·​al ˌsəb-ˈȯr-bə-tᵊl 

1

: situated beneath the eye or the orbit of the eye

2

: being or involving less than one orbit (as of the earth or moon)

also : intended for suborbital flight

Examples of suborbital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Both Blue Origin and Amazon were founded by Bezos, who has flown to suborbital space aboard the company's smaller New Shepard space tourism rocket. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2025

The key word here is orbital – New Glenn will be Blue Origin’s first orbital vehicle, different from its suborbital New Shepherd launches. —Valerie Stimac, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

Blue Origin flew its suborbital New Shepard vehicle on three human missions and one cargo-only mission and nearly launched its first orbital-class New Glenn rocket in 2024. —Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2025

The space tourism flight is suborbital and sub-optimal in a way for a Vanderbilt University cardiologist who has spent a lifetime dreaming of — and, lately, training for — walking on the moon. —David Farré, The Tennessean, 29 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

suborbital

adjective

sub·​or·​bit·​al ˌsəb-ˈȯr-bət-ᵊl 

: situated or occurring beneath the eye or the orbit of the eye

suborbital fat