What does it mean to you: 'Launched into a Roll'?

Question

I am reading a sci-fi text and cannot figure out one idiom. What is the meaning of the bolded phrase? The context is this:

Corazon Santiago launched into a roll, crossing the narrow metal hallway in the blink of a photosynth eye. She came up to her feet, lightweight rubber soles gripping the floor, maintaining her catlike balance. She looked through optical tinted goggles, flicking her eyes around to get all the scan modes: regular, heat, ultraviolet, motion trail.

Would appreciate any equivalanet paraphrase.

Answer 1

Merriam-Webster gives the following definition of 'launch'.

1a: to throw forward : HURL. launched an arrow at a target

In your quoted text, Corazon is launching their body, moving quickly like a firework. To launch 'into' a roll, they're pushing off the ground with their feet, and continuing into a second action, the roll itself.

Imagine them running up to speed, pushing forward with their feet, tucking into a roll, and moving down the corridor quickly.

Answer 2

She started rolling. She rolled across the hallway swiftly.

To launch into something means to suddenly start doing it, usually energetically or enthusiastically.

In gymnastics, there is a move called forward roll. This might be what she has done, perhaps several times until she reached the end of the hallway.

Answer 3

To be clear and flesh it out, "launched into a roll" is not an idiom. "Launched" by itself is somewhat of one. The roll is just a roll.

When we say "launch" we think of a rocket's explosive force quickly blasting off whatever it is. Or maybe a catapult. A salesman might launch into her speech about what a good product this is -- they started talking right away, not giving you a chance to say anything. A cat might launch itself off the dresser and into your lap -- that's faster and further than if they jumped.

Confusingly, we also use "launch" for new ideas, or commercial products, or store openings, but are thinking of a boat. We're "putting it in the water" for the first time to see if it floats or sinks. From context we can usually tell if launch means a rocket or a boat. We could launch into construction (start immediately) to launch (open) a store in December.

Another way to write that phrase would have been: "She quickly dove forward, tucking herself into a ball as she hit the floor, and smoothly turned it into a forward roll. That made her very difficult to shoot at and also, even though it makes no sense, was faster than running".