Launchpad (Noun)
Meaning
A platform from which rockets or space craft are launched.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The shuttle took off from its launchpad on the island in a blast of flame and smoke.
- SpaceX engineers conducted final checks before fueling the rocket standing vertically on its launchpad.
- During launch countdowns, workers usually retreat from the pad to a safe distance, as the blast from liftoff can be intense at the launchpad.
- Mission control operators checked the rocket's systems from their stations near the launchpad as the countdown began.
- Astronauts used the elevator to access the top level of the launchpad, where the command module was waiting for liftoff.