launch vehicle

noun

: a rocket used to launch a satellite or spacecraft

Examples of launch vehicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The French startup developed Baguette-One, a launch vehicle set to become the first rocket launched from France. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026 Despite advances in launch vehicles and spacecraft design, humans have not traveled beyond LEO in more than fifty years—not for lack of ambition, but because operating there means doing without the systems that make human spaceflight viable today. Charlotte Kiang, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026 The alleged lack of transparency, the filing argues, hurt stockholders when issues with its Alpha launch vehicle and the market came to light. Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 9 Jan. 2026 Beijing has also pressed ahead with reusable launch vehicle tests (though its most recent landing attempts were unsuccessful) reinforcing a development cadence that looks increasingly steady as Artemis faces schedule pressure. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 2 Jan. 2026 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 31 Jan. 2026.

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