Full record for earthbound adj.

Definition unable to leave the planet Earth
OED requirements antedating 1937
Earliest cite E.E. Smith, 'Galactic Patrol'
Comment Suggested by Randy Hoffman

Fred Galvin submitted a 1963 cite from the title of the story "Earthbound', by Lester Del Rey.
Douglas Winston submitted a 1994 cite from S.Andrew Swann's "Emperors of the Twilight".
Douglas Winston submitted a 1979 cite from Lee Killough's "The Doppelganger Gambit".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1949 cite from George O. Smith's "Fire in the Heavens".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1950 cite from Milton Lesser's "All Heroes Are Hated!".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1941 cite from "The Beast of Space" by F. E. Hardart
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1959 reprint of Lester Del Rey's "The Luck of Ignatz", which Mike Christie verified in its 1939 first appearance
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1950 reprint of E.E. Smith's "Galactic Patrol": Mike Christie verified it in its first publication (serial in Astounding Stories, 1937)

The OED entry has figurative cites for "earth-bound", but none in the literal, SF sense.

Last modified 10 December, 2009

Citations for earthbound adj.

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1950 M. Lesser All Heroes Are Hated! in Amazing Stories Nov. 18/2 In the beginning, a few of the starmen tried, but they were blasted out of space. We're earthbound. The whole culture is earthbound, with nothing to do. It's as if the stars don't exist. And we're going backwards. It's hard to see in ten years, but with all this unemployment, all the discontent—earth is on the way down.
1968 S. E. Whitfield in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ ii. viii. 252 Her life at present is a battle between her female need for the pleasant routine of Earthbound home and family versus the personal challenge of starship life and continued new worlds to conquer.
1984 R. Silverberg Waiting for Earthquake in R. Silverberg Conglomeroid Cocktail Party (1984) 199–200 Paul, tough old indestructible Paul, had panicked over the thought that the earthquake was only a decade away, and between Darkday and Dimday of Christmas week had packed up and boarded an Earthbound ship.
1988 R. Silverberg We are for Dark in Coll. Stories (1993)II. 324, I have no regret over remaining Earthbound: far from it! Earth is our great mother. Earth is the mother of us all. Troubled as she is, blighted as she now may be, dying, even, I am content to stay here, and more than content.
1990 G. Bear Queen of Angels (1991) i.iv. 18, I assume my earthbound twin is interpreting these bursts adequately, politely, suavely.
1995 C. Carter Truth is out There: Official Guide to The X Files Introd. 4 Aside from its genre's mixed track record, The X-Files was set to air on Friday—a night when many of the young adults and teenagers who would naturally comprise the core audience for such a program were likely to be out pursuing other, more earthbound forms of recreation.