Notwithstanding the argument by some observers that the parallels between space and "the maritime and air environments could hardly be clearer," however, there do appear to be difficulties. Long before the Royal Navy came to rule the waves during the 19th century, English shipping had been repeatedly subjected to piracy as well as commerce raiding by the navies of other nations. Why? First and foremost because of the economic wealth associated with the growth of maritime commerce that followed the discovery of the New World. Drake and Hawkins originally made their names raiding Spanish galleons bringing gold and other treasure back to Spain from the Americas. By contrast, over four decades into the space age, no nation has tried to seize or mount destructive attacks against the operational satellites of another, including the two Cold War adversaries. Although both accidental and intentional interference with the functioning of satellites has occurred, attacks aimed at destroying satellites have not. While ASAT systems have been tested and fielded in the past, US capabilities are currently limited to a US Army developmental program for a kinetickill vehicle launched by a Minuteman missile, and one cannot help but wonder about the readiness of the Russian nonnuclear ASAT system inherited from the Soviet era. Again, one must wonder why this happens to be so. And the most straightforward answer is that orbital assets have yet to acquire the economic import of Spanish treasure galleons.

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Watts, Barry D. The Military Use of Space: A Diagnostic Assessment. Washington, D.C.: Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, February 2001. [ 8 quotes ] [ page 28 ]