1. of or relating to two substances that ignite spontaneously when mixed together without an external ignition source
Usage: technical; aerospace and chemistry

Examples

• Hypergolic propellants are commonly used in rocket engines because they ignite on contact.
• The spacecraft's thrusters rely on hypergolic fuel and oxidizer combinations.
• Engineers selected hypergolic propellants for their reliability and ease of ignition in space.
• Hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide form a hypergolic pair used in many satellite systems.
• The hypergolic reaction between the two liquids produces the thrust needed for orbital maneuvers.