This transportation system provides the massive thrust required to overcome Earth's gravity and atmospheric drag. It typically consists of multiple expendable or reusable rocket stages, fuel tanks, and guidance systems. Engineers classify them by payload capacity, ranging from small-lift rockets for microsatellites to super-heavy systems for interplanetary missions.
Heard on the job
The payload is integrated and we're rolling the launch vehicle out to the pad tonight.
Insider tip
While often used interchangeably with rocket, a launch vehicle specifically refers to the entire stack configured to deliver a payload to orbit.