Once developed, space weapons technology will spread rapidly through legal and illicit technology transfer means.
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Technology transfer has been rapid, especially for micro-satellites, and many other countries may soon be capable of building their own satellites. For instance, the United Kingdom's Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd has undertaken joint technology transfer programs with Pakistan, South Africa, South Korea, Portugal, Chile, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and China. All said, a multitude of countries, at some level, could enter a costly race to space weaponization, or align with major powers that do so. Moreover, the first country to do so might actually provide the gateway to space exploitation. At huge expense, it will have broken the technological frontier only to realize that once the heavens are opened to weapons, everyone else goes much more cheaply. ( More ... ) Deblois, Bruce M. "The Advent of Space Weapons." Astropolitics. Vol. 1, No. 1 (Summer 2003). [ 15 quotes ]
If, however, the United States continues to forge ahead toward highly threatening space weapons, plenty of countries have enough knowledge, resources, and capabilities to expand their military space operations in ways that would increase the net uncertainty, expense, and insecurity of U.S. space activities. In a global economy, secrecy and export controls cannot protect the American technological advantage in space; instead, they sabotage the U.S. satellite industry and motivate other countries to develop indigenous capabilities and cooperative arrangements that exclude the United States. ( More ... ) Gallagher, Nancy. Towards a Reconsideration of the Rules for Space Security. College Park, MD: Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM), April 20, 2005. [ 2 quotes ] [ page 24 ]