Acta Astronautica
Volume 222, September 2024, Pages 69-80

"As the number of rocket launches and commercial aircraft flights increase, the probability of a catastrophic collision between an aircraft and reentering space debris is also growing.
• Technologies and mission designs exist to enable all rocket bodies to be returned to Earth in a controlled manner, eliminating the casualty risk.
• From a broad economic perspective, space companies are externalizing some of their risks and costs and imposing them on the aviation industry.
• States are liable for damage caused by reentering space objects and could be liable for the economic costs caused by precautionary airspace closures.
• The 2023 Montreal Recommendations offer actionable steps to reduce the risk of collisions between space debris and aircraft."