specific impulse
noun
: the thrust produced per unit rate of consumption of the propellant that is usually expressed in pounds of thrust per pound of propellant used per second and that is a measure of the efficiency of a rocket engine
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web One way to describe the performance of a rocket is with the specific impulse. 
Rhett Allain, Wired, 25 Feb. 2022 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 See More
Rhett Allain, Wired, 25 Feb. 2022 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 This would be a monumental achievement given that the world-record specific impulse—held by NASA—is 542 seconds, and most operating orbital rockets have specific impulses around 300 seconds. Daniel Oberhaus, Ars Technica, 27 June 2020 See More Word History
First Known Use
1947, in the meaning defined above