This brief, highly speculative discussion only tells us that space could very well come to represent a vital and increasingly large share of the global economy. Indeed, space already is an economic engine in some cases. Resources and opportunities are limited at some locations (e.g., GEO communications satellite slots). Immense wealth opportunities, sources of vital infrastructure, and limited resources invariably provide the basis for conflict. As the world returns to its traditional multinational competition, and as threats of global war recede, such conflicts could well escalate.

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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 99 ]