launch vehicle

noun

: a rocket used to launch a satellite or spacecraft

Examples of launch vehicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hans Koenigsmann is a German-American aerospace engineer known for his efforts in developing reusable spacecraft and launch vehicles. Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 18 Dec. 2025 Escaping the threat posed by high winds and cumulous clouds, the two-stage SpaceX launch vehicle reached space about 8 minutes and 40 seconds after leaving the ground. Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 15 Dec. 2025 Neutron is the world’s largest carbon composite launch vehicle. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025 Here's what's next Named in honor of NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, New Glenn is a powerful two-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle manufactured by Blue Origin. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for launch vehicle

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of launch vehicle was circa 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Launch vehicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/launch%20vehicle. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.

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