We can see how these tools might lead to effective denial of an adversary's access to commercial or other space-based service. One might expect a global multinational corporation providing space-based services to be reluctant to follow the US government's dictates on denying service. This might be particularly so if the protagonist was part owner of the corporation. This is analogous to declaring an embargo on seaborne or airborne goods and services. Initially, the corporation may try to ignore the embargo. That's when the United States could begin to deny service—perhaps by shading sequentially the solar-power resources on critical satellites, forcing a time-consuming and revenue-losing shutdown, recovery from which might take weeks on each failed spacecraft. As the targeted corporation sees increasing percentages of its revenue-producing assets turned off, it becomes ever more likely that the corporation would voluntarily deny service to the targeted party. After an initial few demonstrations of US capability and commitment, the mere presence of a few microsats escorting commercial satellites could be sufficient to establish and maintain embargoes in future crises.

---

Shaw, John E. and Simon P. Worden. Whither Space Power?: Forging a Strategy for the New Century. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University, 2002. [ 8 quotes ] [ page 108 ]