The new version of Starship will be tested again in four to six weeks. A third consecutive failure could indicate fundamental problems with the updated design.

So far, the consequences of these failures have not been lethal. But space remains a difficult, hazardous game. Reentering debris from a Falcon 9 upper stage could have struck someone in Poland. God forbid, a second stage could fail early in a crewed mission.

SpaceX's Starship program has stumbled again. This latest delay casts a shadow on their progress. It also adds a layer of doubt to Elon Musk's space exploration