Editing Spaceplane (section)

=== Launch to space ===
The flight trajectory required to reach orbit results in significant aerodynamic loads, vibrations, and accelerations, all of which have to be withstood by the vehicle structure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aerodynamics and Debris Transport for the Space Shuttle Launch Vehicle |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20120014272/downloads/20120014272.pdf |website=ntrs.nasa.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 1973 |title=UNSTEADY AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF SPACE SHUTTLE VEHICLES |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19730024030/downloads/19730024030.pdf |website=ntrs.nasa.gov}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=X-15 Hypersonic Research Program - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/reference/x-15/ |access-date=2024-12-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>

If the launch vehicle suffers a catastrophic malfunction, a conventional capsule spacecraft is propelled to safety by a [[launch escape system]]. The Space Shuttle was far too big and heavy for this approach to be viable, resulting in a [[Space Shuttle abort modes|number of abort modes]] that may or may not have been survivable. The [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|Challenger disaster]] demonstrated a lack of survivability on ascent.{{fact|date=January 2025}}