Spaceworthiness,[1][2] or aerospaceworthiness,[3] is a property, or ability of a spacecraft to perform to its design objectives and navigate successfully through both the space environment and the atmosphere as a part of a journey to or from space.
As in airworthiness, the spaceworthiness of a spacecraft depends on at least three basic components:[4][5]
Spaceworthiness is typically maintained through a maintenance program and / or a system of analysis, diagnosis and management of health and reliability of the spacecraft.[8][9][10][11][12]
Spaceworthiness of launch vehicles and spacecraft is an extension of the concepts of roadworthiness for cars, railworthiness for trains, seaworthiness for boats and ships, and airworthiness for aircraft.