Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A device used for high-altitude sounding, composed of a small, solid-propellant rocket that is launched from a balloon.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
rocket , powered by solid fuel, that is notlit while on the ground but first carried into the upperatmosphere by agas -filledballoon , then separated from the balloon and automaticallyignited to allow it to achieve a higheraltitude .
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[rock(et) + (ball)oon.]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Blend of rocket and balloon
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Examples
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The first test of the Aeronautics and Cosmonautics Romanian Association's (ARCA) balloon-launched rocket (or "rockoon") ended in failure when the "inflation arms" used to fill the balloon became entangled in the balloon itself.
Romanian Group Attempts Moon Mission With Giant Balloon | Universe Today 2009
she commented on the word rockoon
A rocket fired from a balloon, or a balloon carrying a rocket.
July 9, 2008