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.
The 320-foot-tall heavy-lift launch vehicle, which launched without a crew on Jan. 16 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, is meant to challenge SpaceX in regularly deploying satellites and other cargo into orbit. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025 There are already a variety of emerging launch vehicles in Europe which have been working towards their first orbital launches and are likely already well-positioned to enter the contest. Andrew Jones, Space.com, 30 Mar. 2025 The record over the years is too often one of delays and setbacks, whether that involves launch vehicles, crew capsules, or even returning astronauts from space. David A. Deptula, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025 SpaceX says Starship can carry larger payloads, such as satellites and cargo, than other launch vehicles and can support long-duration missions to the Moon and potentially Mars. Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 16 Jan. 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 15 Apr. 2025.

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