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

Perry and Sánchez were part of an all-female crew who in April traveled aboard Blue Origin’s suborbital space tourism mission. —Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 27 June 2025

The company has the ambitious goal to enable a suborbital launch by 2029 but success here will require significant testing and perhaps a few failures. —Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025

If the results of the flight pan out, the plan is to work up to a suborbital flight by 2029. —David Szondy june 21, New Atlas, 21 June 2025

The company will next work toward a suborbital launch, though the program's commercial future is unknown. —Andrew Jones, Space.com, 18 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for suborbital

• infraorbital
• postorbital
• interorbital
• periorbital
• supraorbital
• orbital

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