Peer toward the ground and prepare for launch (5,4)

I believe the answer is:

count down

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'ground and prepare for launch' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'peer toward' is the wordplay.
'peer' becomes 'count'.
'toward' becomes 'down' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'count'+'down'='COUNT-DOWN'

'the' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for count down that I've seen is " Prepare to shoot".)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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