hydrazine
noun
hy·dra·zine
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Definition of hydrazine
: a colorless fuming corrosive strongly reducing liquid base N2H4 used especially in fuels for rocket and jet engines
also
: an organic base derived from this compound
Examples of hydrazine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The fuel is a safer alternative to hydrazine, the fuel typically used on spacecraft that is toxic to humans and requires extensive safety precautions when handling it. — Chabeli Herrera, orlandosentinel.com, "Tonightâs Falcon Heavy liftoff from Cape will be SpaceXâs âmost difficult launch everâ," 24 June 2019 This new material could be an attractive option for satellite operators since hydrazine is particularly nasty stuff. — Loren Grush, The Verge, "An atomic clock, âgreenâ propellant, and a sunlight-surfing sail are headed to space next week," 21 June 2019 Compared to hydrazine, which has a consistency similar to water, AFM-315 is viscous. — Daniel Oberhaus, WIRED, "A New Fuel for Satellites Is So Safe It Wonât Blow Up Humans," 12 June 2019 This led to a leak of hydrazine, which did not damage the test article. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Boeing shifts schedule for Starliner, calls 2019 crew launch ârealisticâ," 1 Aug. 2018 This means that like the Kepler mission, Dawn has run out of hydrazine fuel, which the vehicle needs to orient itself and keep its antennas aligned with Earth. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "The Dawn spacecraft exploring the asteroid belt has gone dark," 1 Nov. 2018 Liquid hydrazine, a popular fuel for rockets of all varieties, can be quickly absorbed through the skin and acts as a neurotoxin. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Plasma Thrusters Are About To Have Their Moment," 30 Aug. 2018 In modern rockets, such as the Space X Falcon 9 or the Saturn V, the propulsion system is powered by a fast, exothermic reaction between a liquid fuel (usually hydrogen, methane or hydrazine) and oxidizer (usually oxygen or nitrogen tetroxide). — Renee Morad, Scientific American, "Build the Best Alka-Rocket Everâwith Science," 7 Sep. 2017 If that happens, people are warned not to touch or breathe any vapors from debris that could be contaminated with highly toxic hydrazine fuel. — James Dean, USA TODAY, "Chinese station falling from space, but chances of being hit are low," 31 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hydrazine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for hydrazine
hydrazine
noun
hy·dra·zine
| \ ËhÄ«-drÉ-ËzÄn
\
\
Medical Definition of hydrazine
: a colorless fuming corrosive strongly reducing liquid base N2H4 used in the production of various materials (as pharmaceuticals and plastics)
also
: an organic base derived from this compound