The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
launchpad \launchpad\ n. (Rocketry) a platform from which rockets or space craft are launched. Syn: launching pad, launch pad, launch area, pad. [WordNet 1.5]WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
launchpad n 1: a platform from which rockets or space craft are launched [syn: launching pad, launchpad, launch pad, launch area, pad]