A passively-actuated apparatus for providing shock-absorption between a missile and a missile canister prior to missile launch, and for moving out of the path of a missile during missile launch. The apparatus comprises a snubber coupled to a passive actuator that drives a snubber from a position wherein the snubber is engaged with a missile to a position wherein the snubber is cleared from the path of any portion of the missile during launch. The actuator is purely mechanical in nature, and is passively-actuated by the motion of the missile itself as the missile begins launch.