While, I agree, that ships, especialy large ones, should requere some money for upkeeping like "maintenance" inRP, however, Im not a fan of death penalty, because, most of people will tent to avoid any contact with others even more.
In same time, there are a lot of stuff, disappearing from your ship after it goes boom. Make it even more expensive. That would be ok as alternative to death penalty. Amo, CMs, B/B, this could const a bit more, but players would still use them, and wont' be as much upset, rather than to actual death penalty.
