I think composite-overwrapped pressure vessels could survive intact, though those are technically not fuel, but inert pressurant gasses. I believe Starship uses both helium and CO2.
One of the Falcon ones reentered as space debris in Washington state, in 2021,
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I think composite-overwrapped pressure vessels could survive intact, though those are technically not fuel, but inert pressurant gasses. I believe Starship uses both helium and CO2.
One of the Falcon ones reentered as space debris in Washington state, in 2021,
https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/2/22364582/spacex-rocket-deb... ("SpaceX rocket debris lands on man’s farm in Washington")
edit: There's a few other examples on page 47 of
(.pdf) https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/Report_to_Congress_R... ("Risk Associated with Reentry Disposal of Satellites from Proposed Large Constellations in Low Earth Orbit" (2021))
edit²: Here's what the Starship COPV's look like (being recovered from the Indian ocean),
https://old.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/1h1l1gk/starship_s3...
Ya, there are real risks, COPVs, burning batteries, and the flight termination system explosives.