Guardian_2000 
Did you watch the episode. She had pieces of "shrapnel" for lack of a better word embedded into her from when the cockpit was sliced open. Do you honestly think that it was just plain metal there and no type of electronics or other systems there. Both Kira and Shinn contributed to Stellars death. Even Neo for putting her in there. She was in really bad shape the day before. Then they put her in Destroy. He would of put her in there if she was half dead probably. He was under orders and under a pretty nasty threat. Remember if she didn't pilot it something scary was gonna come and kill them all.
Oh and she didn't die from the explosion either. She was still alive when shinn found her by your reasoning. Shinn's attacks could of helped her on her way to her demise just as much as Kira's. We don't know how protected she would of been if the cockpit was still intact.
