Just as there is no guarantee that the United States will maintain air, land, and sea superiority if it shifts significant funds to space programs, there is also no guarantee that the United States will emerge the winner in the space weapons race itself. It is entirely possible that another nation could beat the Americans outright or 'leap frog' past American accomplishments late in the race. It is widely recognized that several European and Asian nations are rapidly advancing technologically. In fact, Americans no longer lead the world in some sectors. Twenty years ago, for example, the United States launched 80 to 90 percent of all commercial satellites in the world. Today, that figure stands at 27 percent and continues to drop as the Russians, Chinese, and French make inroads. The French alone own more than 50 percent of the launch market share. These statistics, and other examples, challenge the assumption that America could never be bested in a technology that proves to be crucial to warfighting in space. It might be somebody else who first develops some concept as revolutionary as British radar in the Battle of Britain, the German blitzkrieg in the Battle of France, or the Russian Sputnik during the cold war.

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Ziegler, David W. Safe Heavens: Military Strategy and Space Sanctuary Thought. Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Air University, June 1997. [ 9 quotes ]