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- For other meanings, see envelope (disambiguation).
In aerospace, an envelope is the limits within which an aircraft can operate. Specifically, the range of altitudes is represented by the vertical height of the envelope and the range of speeds is represented by the horizontal width of the envelope.
Pushing the envelope
This phrase is used to refer to an aircraft being taken to, and perhaps beyond, its designated altitude and speed limits. By extension, this phrase may be used to mean testing other limits, either within aerospace or in other fields. Sometimes referred to as "Pushing out the envelope"(this term seems to be used mostly in England though) Pushing the envelope has also become an expression in other fields, referring to the act of introducing new ideas in readily established concepts. An example would be a marketing campaign which advertised its' product in a way never done before, or a video game which interacted with the player in a completely original fashion.
