Oh, nevermind! On a hunch I just tried to launch a small rocket without buying the Small Launch pad first and it let me do it.

Aren't you starting with one Large launch pad in the east of USA?

in vanilla they give you a pad on the other side of the world assume same since you can launch.. also.. don't think you can launch small rocket from large pad..

hard mode seems impossible anyway. Only successful launches count towards research goals and rocket failure chances are horrible and don't seem to be improvable with multiple launches.

Its very possible. There is a launch pad in the pacific ocean around where Guam would be (north of New Zealand). You can launch from it as if you own it. You also get a 50m or so injection of cash once you have a rocket launch without blowing up. I just played through the game on Hard mode, I started with 1 Office / 3 Small Factories, small rocket fee, then pumped 3 rockets out and launched them with the concrete. All 3 exploded, so I built 3 more pushing me into debt (game over at end of Q4) and repeated. One of them made it to space and I got the 50m money injection plus then I was able to have low (under 30%) explosion chances so I had no issues with contract fail penalties.

You have access to 1 small, med, and large launch pad.
When you unlock rocket landing, you'll never use a Med launchpad again. (ie, unless you're just overflowing with cash, which isn't the case in the beginning of Hard, save the $$ for a large launch pad. you're going to need a second one)
which brings you to the only launch pad specific item you have to buy, (in the beginning) is the Drone Ship. While you won't need it for Medium rockets to do small/low, you'll definately need it for small/med.
Don't accept contracts you cannot fulfill. Some charge you a penalty if you make it past the end of the year with 'Launch Now,' and you can try again next year, others immediately charge the mission failed amount and delete, (they take their business elsewhere)
Because of the penalty of losing a payload, I don't launch with anything but concrete until till the failure rate gets <10%. Te exception is if I have to to keep the business afloat, then I just hope it doesn't 'splode.
Contracts that are not timed for small rockets give ~500k profit per launch, if that.
Contracts you have to bid on and wait out are far far far more lucrative. So, keep the contracts window open until you can hire an assistant.
Don't waste $$ unlocking everything the moment it becomes available. Cargo Capsules cost 55 million to unlock, but you cannot even use them till you've had over 10 successful Med rocket launches. So, if you unlock and build right away, it'll be collecting dust long before you can use it.
with Sp and $$ being more slow going on Hard than easy, be more picky with the unlocks until you get established.

https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3060646432
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3060646656
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3060646365

Hard Mode
Should give you the gist. Not my personal best. Had a very rough start and almost went bankrupt. 16 launches, 1.3M at end of year. 30+ explosions. You can terraform Mars much quicker if you focus on it. Before my first Heavy launch I had a second Static Firing stand you get the 1st for free) and a second large Launch platform with Drone Ship.

Another hint: don't just build tons of rockets. once you hit the number that'll give you the reduced cost, refurbishing, and fault rate tech stop building. (provided the launches are all successful) If another unfortunately explodes only build the min to get that tech.