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.

The timeline of the mission had been thrown into question after the New Glenn rocket developed by Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin exploded during a ground test late last month, damaging the launchpad infrastructure.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

It took more than a year for SpaceX to resume flights from a launchpad at Cape Canaveral after a preflight explosion destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket in 2016.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

Spaceflight news and tracking site NSF captured video of the incident, showing how the rocket went up in a plume of flame while standing on a company’s launchpad.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

A rocket made by the company Blue Origin appears to have exploded on its launchpad in Florida during a test.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

As the rocket blasted from the launchpad and accelerated into the sky toward maximum velocity, the aerodynamic pressure on the capsule also increased to a point known as “max Q.”

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly