Hard launching is a launch system of a guided missile wherein the missile's rocket is ignited while still inside the launch assembly or tube. This is technically simpler than soft launching but produces a large backblast area.
Famous quotes containing the words hard and/or launch:
“Harry: I don’t know when you’ll get back home. Could be a long time.
Slim: Could be forever, or are you afraid of that? I’m hard to get, Steve. All you have to do is ask me.”
—Jules Furthman (1888–1960)
“Now launch the small ship, now as the body dies
and life departs, launch out, the fragile soul
in the fragile ship of courage, the ark of faith
with its store of food and little cooking pans
and change of clothes,”
—D.H. (David Herbert)