In the modern space race, every mission is a dance with the unknown, and the dance partner is usually as volatile as the fuel that powers the rockets. Today, this dance has taken an unexpected turn for Boeing, the company that was once considered a primary contender in the race to make space travel more commercial.

Boeing announced on Thursday, alongside NASA, that it would further delay the inaugural crewed launch of its Starliner spacecraft, an unfortunate setback occasioned by the discovery of fresh issues with the spacecraft's systems. In an industry where the tiniest oversight could result in catastrophic failures, the delay might be a disappointing development, but it is also a necessary one.