SpaceX has experienced multiple failed Starship tests, leading some to wonder if luck has finally run out for the company.
According to space policy expert Wendy Whitman Cobb, this level of failure during a development process isn’t unusual, especially when testing new and complex space technology.
The reason for the perception that these tests are unusual is that SpaceX is taking a more rapid pace of development compared to traditional space agencies or legacy aerospace companies.
Historically, space agencies like NASA have taken their time with rocket development, testing until they were confident in a successful outcome, rather than rushing through the process.
The Starship tests are an exception to this norm, and it’s unclear how long SpaceX will continue to push the boundaries of rapid development while still ensuring the safety and success of its missions.
SpaceX lost contact with Starship after its launch on March 6, 2025. | Image: AFP via Getty Images
With yet another failed Starship test this week, in which the ambitious heavy rocket exploded once again, you might reasonably suspect that luck has finally run out for SpaceX.
But this degree of failure during a development process isn’t actually unusual, according to Wendy Whitman Cobb, a space policy expert with the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, especially when you’re testing new space technology as complex as a large rocket. However, the Starship tests are meaningfully different from the slow, steady pace of development that we’ve come to expect from the space sector.
“The reason a lot of people perceive this to be unusual is that this is not the typical way that we have historically tested rockets,” Whitman Cobb says.
Historically speaking, space agencies like NASA or legacy aerospace companies like United Launch Alliance (ULA) have taken their time with rocket development and have not tested until they were confident in a successful outcome. That’s still the case today with major NASA projects like the development of the Space Launch System (SLS), which has now dragged on for over a decade. “They will take as long as they need to to make sure that the rocket …
Q. Is it normal for SpaceX rockets to keep exploding during testing?
A. According to Wendy Whitman Cobb, a space policy expert, this degree of failure is not unusual when testing new space technology as complex as a large rocket.
Q. Why do people perceive the Starship tests as unusual?
A. The reason is that historically, space agencies and legacy aerospace companies have taken their time with rocket development and tested until they were confident in a successful outcome.
Q. How long has NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) project been ongoing?
A. The SLS project has dragged on for over a decade.
Q. What is the typical approach to testing rockets in the space sector?
A. Historically, space agencies and legacy aerospace companies have taken their time with rocket development and tested until they were confident in a successful outcome.
Q. Is SpaceX’s Starship test process different from what we’ve come to expect in the space sector?
A. Yes, according to Wendy Whitman Cobb, the Starship tests are meaningfully different from the slow, steady pace of development that we’ve come to expect.
Q. Why is it unusual for a rocket to explode during testing?
A. It’s not necessarily unusual, but rather unexpected given the complexity and ambition of the Starship project.
Q. What can be learned from SpaceX’s failure rate during testing?
A. Not much, according to Wendy Whitman Cobb, as this degree of failure is not unusual when testing new space technology.
Q. How does SpaceX’s approach to testing compare to other aerospace companies?
A. SpaceX’s approach is more aggressive and rapid than what we’ve come to expect in the space sector.
Q. Is it a cause for concern that SpaceX’s Starship test process has been plagued by failures?
A. Not necessarily, according to Wendy Whitman Cobb, as this degree of failure is not unusual when testing new space technology.
Q. What does Wendy Whitman Cobb mean by “meaningfully different” in the context of SpaceX’s testing approach?
A. She means that SpaceX’s approach is more aggressive and rapid than what we’ve come to expect in the space sector, which is unusual given the complexity and ambition of the Starship project.
