Rising Space Debris Threatens Aircraft Safety Over High-Traffic Regions

A new study highlights a growing 26% annual probability of rocket debris reentering busy airspace, prompting calls for stricter international regulations.

• Uncontrolled rocket debris poses increasing risks to aircraft, with a 26% chance each year of reentry over high-traffic airspace like the Northeastern U.S. and Europe.
• Approximately 50,000 large pieces of space debris orbit Earth, with millions of smaller fragments also contributing to the hazard.
• The aviation industry faces tough decisions between closing airspace for safety and mitigating economic and operational disruptions caused by delays and diversions.
• Experts stress that uncontrolled reentries are a preventable design choice, advocating for controlled reentry systems to direct debris into remote ocean areas.
• International cooperation is needed to enforce new spaceflight standards, as the number of rocket launches and air passengers continues to rise.

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