launch pad
noun
the platform on which a missile or launch vehicle undergoes final prelaunch checkout and countdown and from which it is launched from the surface of the earth.
launchpad
-
a variation of
launch pad.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was the Grateful Dead’s retreat, Robin Williams’ launchpad, and the solid ground upon which Philip K. Dick questioned reality.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Nasa's powerful next-generation telescope has blasted off into space from its launchpad in Florida, with a mission to explore dark energy, black holes and other mysteries of the Universe.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Since the start of the war, many Middle Eastern countries have said they would not allow the United States to use their territory as a launchpad for attacks, though Abdollahi cast doubt on those promises.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered security authorities to investigate and said his country wouldn’t allow its territory to be used as a corridor or launchpad for any attack against friendly countries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Mercury-Redstone 1, or “MR-1,” the first mission to mate the Mercury capsule to the Redstone rocket, failed on the launchpad.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
