Definition: (DOD, NATO) 1. The sum of the weight of passengers and cargo that an aircraft can carry. See also load. 2. The warhead, its container, and activating devices in a military missile. 3. The satellite or research vehicle of a space probe or research missile. 4. The load (expressed in tons of cargo or equipment, gallons of liquid, or number of passengers) which the vehicle is designed to transport under specified conditions of operation, in addition to its unladen weight.
payload
From Department of Defense, About.com Guest
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