Not only is it possible that foreign know-how might overpower the U.S. in some key technology sector, but American know-how itself might work against the U.S. in a race for space superiority. Dr. Mueller cites nuclear history as an example of this. Today, an early U.S. nuclear monopoly continues to erode with every additional nation that acquires nuclear weapons. It can not be ignored that the growing American vulnerability to such weapons is in part compliments of the U.S. It was the U.S. that demonstrated the feasibility of nuclear weapons and paid the tremendous non-recurring development costs to do so. It was from the U.S. that atomic secrets leaked to its chief adversary. In general, the growing fraternity of nuclear powers benefited from American hindsight and experience. It ought to be expected that the same thing could be repeated should the U.S. accelerate development of advanced space weapons.

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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 ] [ page 61 ]