SpaceX’s recent Starship spacecraft explosion over the Southwest Atlantic and northern Caribbean Sea highlights a growing concern for commercial airlines: the risk of falling space debris colliding with aircraft. Researchers at Canada’s University of British Columbia warn that rocket debris poses an alarming 26% chance of re-entering busy airspace each year, putting pilots and passengers in danger.
According to data from 2023, uncontrolled rocket debris re-entries are a common occurrence, with some pieces streaking through altitudes where aircraft fly and even reaching the ground. While there were no reported disastrous collisions with aircraft in 2024, experts caution that this may only be a matter of time unless industry-wide changes are implemented.
The incident occurred during SpaceX’s seventh attempt at launching its Starship spacecraft, which could play a crucial role in future crewed Artemis missions. The explosion was attributed to a propellant leak, and the Federal Aviation Administration issued a debris alert for pilots to slow down and delay departures until the threat of collision was over.
To mitigate this risk, researchers at UBC advocate for rockets designed to re-enter the atmosphere in a controlled manner, crashing harmlessly into water-covered areas. However, changes are unlikely to be implemented without coordinated actions from governments around the world, as companies may not invest in redesigns unless they are required to do so.
Source: https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/space-rocket-launch-debris-airspace