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FAA issues stark warning over new threat from above

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a warning to pilots about the dangers of exploding space rockets, citing potential "catastrophic failures" that could significantly reduce safety.
"As commercial and government space launch activities increase, it is imperative that airspace users account for potential disruptions due to launch operations," the FAA wrote.
"[Air industry workers] and flight crews should ensure that the appropriate operator, pilot, and dispatch personnel are advised and trained on the impact of space launch and reentry operations and should take appropriate actions to mitigate the impact, which could significantly reduce safety."
The warning followed a Pro Publica report detailing how multiple passenger flights were forced to take evasive action after two failed SpaceX Starship test launches, in January and March last year, showered debris over the Caribbean.
A Frontier pilot on Flight 081 had to divert to avoid falling debris, while other reports indicated planes ran low on fuel avoiding no-fly zones, with some declaring emergencies. SpaceX has dismissed these reports as "misleading” and insisted no aircraft were put at risk.