launch window

American

noun

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

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of launch window

First recorded in 1960–65

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 launch window for the Artemis 2 mission had been set for February 6-11 -- until leaks detected this week during final tests pushed the date back to March 6.

From Barron's

The next possible launch window now opens March 6.

From Barron's

Final decisions on the best launch window for each mission will be made closer to flight, based on readiness and conditions.

From Science Daily

The FAA said it required the launch window to be scheduled during “non-peak transit periods.”

From Salon

Nasa's planned launch window opens on 6 February and runs into the spring.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023