payload

The total weight of people, equipment, and goods carried by an aircraft or spacecraft.

• The aircraft has a small payload capacity.
• Extra equipment increased the payload by fifty kilograms.
• What is the maximum payload for this spacecraft?

Similar words: load, carrying weight

Common phrases: maximum payload, payload capacity, heavy payload

The useful equipment or explosive carried by a rocket or weapon, separate from its engines and controls.

• The rocket carried a satellite payload.
• The missile’s payload exploded above the target.
• Engineers checked the scientific payload before launch.

Common phrases: rocket payload, explosive payload, satellite payload

The part of harmful software that performs its intended action after it reaches a computer.

• The virus payload deletes files.
• Researchers examined the malware’s hidden payload.
• The attack delivered a payload that stole saved passwords.

Common phrases: malicious payload, virus payload, execute a payload

The goods or passengers carried by a vehicle that earn money for its owner.

• The truck carried a full payload.
• More paying passengers increased the flight’s payload.
• The operator wants to carry a larger commercial payload.

Similar words: revenue load

Common phrases: commercial payload, paying payload, carry a payload