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.
Since its opening in 2015, Gilmour Space has grown to over 200 employees supporting their operations on Queensland's Gold Coast, where the company developed its spaceport and launch vehicle almost entirely from domestic resources, touting an Australian supply chain network of over 300 companies. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 May 2025 Australia hosted a handful of satellite launches with US and British rockets from 1967 through 1971, but Gilmour's Eris is the first all-Australian launch vehicle designed for orbital flight. ArsTechnica, 14 May 2025 Then, after considering the question further, McDowell realized there was a precedent, but only one: Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, the Soviet engineer who developed Sputnik and its launch vehicle. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 6 May 2025 This collaboration focuses on developing next-generation launch vehicles and satellite communications solutions, further integrating Japan’s automotive and aerospace expertise into the space sector. Shelli Brunswick, Forbes.com, 5 May 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 21 May. 2025.

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