Shuttle had abort modes that mostly involve landing “normally”. After jettisoning the SRBs, depending on how far it got and the target inclination, it could return to launch site, land in Europe or Africa, do one orbit then land back in the US, or abort to a lower than intended orbit, which actually happened once after an engine failure.
Starship can also do a pad abort, where the whole ship / upper stage separates from the 1st stage.
Did NASA ever actually say that about Starship?
Shuttle had abort modes that mostly involve landing “normally”. After jettisoning the SRBs, depending on how far it got and the target inclination, it could return to launch site, land in Europe or Africa, do one orbit then land back in the US, or abort to a lower than intended orbit, which actually happened once after an engine failure.
Starship can also do a pad abort, where the whole ship / upper stage separates from the 1st stage.