spaceworthiness n.

the condition of being spaceworthy adj.

  • 1933 N. R. Jones Martian & Troglodyte in Amazing Stories May 128/2 page image Neil R. Jones bibliography

    Didn’t our three trial expeditions to the two moons…of our own planet prove our craft’s spaceworthiness?

  • 1934 E. E. Smith Skylark of Valeron in Astounding Stories Aug. 23/1 page image Edward E. Smith bibliography

    True, the focal area of the energy was an almost invisibly violet glare of incandescence, so intensely hot that the concentric shading off through blinding white, yellow, and bright-red heat brought the zone of dull red far down the side of the vessel; but that awful force had had practically no effect upon the spaceworthiness of the stanch little vessel.

  • 1952 I. Asimov Youth in Space Science Fiction May 78/2 page image Isaac Asimov bibliography

    The Pilot remained at his post to the actual landing, his only thought that of breaking the force of the crash, of maintaining the spaceworthiness of the vessel.

  • 1961 A. B. Chandler When the Dream Dies in Amazing Stories 25/2 page image A. Bertram Chandler bibliography

    It was the certificates of clearance and spaceworthiness that were the most expensive.

  • 1980 R. S. McEnroe Skinner in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine June 133 page image Richard S. McEnroe bibliography

    It would unfortunately happen that there would be some sort of insurance question or tax problem or spaceworthiness inspection.

  • 1988 A. C. Clarke 2061: Odyssey Three 199 Arthur C. Clarke bibliography

    It seemed the right thing to do—even though, with any luck, Galaxy ’s spaceworthiness would soon be of no further concern to anyone.

  • 2003 J. Varley Red Thunder (2004) iv. 34 John Varley bibliography

    The Mark II had just received its spaceworthiness certificate from NASA.

  • 2015 I. McDonald Luna: New Moon 161 page image Ian McDonald bibliography

    Ah. Pustelga. Still waiting spaceworthiness certification. The LDC is so slow.

Research requirements

antedating 1934
Earliest cite

E.E. Smith, 'Skylark of Valeron'
Research History
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from William F. Temple's "The Undiscovered Country"; his copy is in a February 1959 US edition of Nebula Science Fiction magazine, which appears to be the UK October 1958 edition with a new cover date (and US price).
Fred Galvin submitted a 1952 cite from Isaac Asimov's "Youth".
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1984 reprint of E.E. 'Doc' Smith's "Skylark of Valeron", which Mike Christie verified in its 1934 first publication.

Earliest cite in OED2: 1959; updated to the 1934 Smith cite in 2008.

Last modified 2022-11-22 13:21:34
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.