launch window

American  

noun

1. a precise time period during which a spacecraft can be launched from a particular site in order to achieve a desired mission, as a rendezvous with another spacecraft.

---

launch window British  

noun

1. the limited period during which a spacecraft can be launched on a particular mission

---

Etymology

Origin of launch window

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

launch window

SpaceX had been set to execute its first launch since the IPO on Thursday, with a Starship take-off scrapped after its launch window opened at 6:45 p.m.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

SpaceX said there is a 37-minute launch window for the CAS500-2 mission that opens at 11:59 p.m., with a backup window 24 hours later.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2026

The launch window for Artemis II, as the mission is called, opens at 6:24 p.m.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026

The next possible launch window now opens March 6.

From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026

Once the capsule climbed through the launch window, separated from the Atlas, and settled into a successful orbit, it established communication links with the ground stations.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly