launch vehicle

noun

: a rocket used to launch a satellite or spacecraft

Examples of launch vehicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Flight 14 will be Starship’s first attempt at reaching orbit, and a major milestone for the launch vehicle that has now been in development for 10 years. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Some missiles even became launch vehicles for satellites and astronauts, carrying their military engineering into the emerging Space Age. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026

The feat would mark a significant milestone as SpaceX works to develop Starship to become the first fully reusable launch vehicle, with both the lower- and upper-stages of the rocket able to fly multiple times. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026

The two-stage rocket, Spectrum, became the first fully commercial launch vehicle in Europe to reach orbit, Ars reports. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above