Suborbital reusable launch vehicle. This is a spacecraft designed to carry payloads or passengers past the Kármán line for brief periods of microgravity before returning to Earth. Unlike orbital rockets, it does not achieve the velocity required to stay in orbit, which greatly simplifies the thermal protection and propulsion requirements.
Heard on the job
The company is testing a new sRLV for the commercial space tourism market.
Related terms
Kármán line
The boundary generally recognized as the edge of space, located at an altitude of 100 kilometers above sea level.
Commercial
Relating to airports or flight operations that handle paying passengers and cargo.
RLV
A reusable launch vehicle designed to return to Earth intact and fly multiple missions.