A special runway will be required for launch: it needs to be reinforced to tolerate the high equivalent single wheel load; necessitated by the Skylon's 325 tonnes takeoff weight; it will need to have heat resistant sections at the start of the take-off run and at the rotation zone; and it will have to be long to allow the Skylon to accelerate to its rotation speed, yet still have to abort the launch and brake to a standstill if required.