Rocket may go in this meal, without a sign of hesitation (8)
I believe the answer is:
launcher
'rocket may go' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'meal without a sign of hesitation' is the wordplay.
'meal' becomes 'lunch' (lunch is a kind of meal).
'without' is an insertion indicator ('without' can be similar in meaning to 'outside').
'sign of hesitation' becomes 'er'.
'lunch' enclosing 'a' is 'launch'.
'launch'+'er'='LAUNCHER'
'in this' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for launcher that I've seen before include "starter" , "Missile firer" , "Rocket firer" .)