Congress this week will consider a Bush Administration request to begin testing a laser weapon for disabling or destroying satellites in orbit.
The armaments envisioned for Star Wars could at least blind and destroy military satellites, compromising the enemy's command and control systems.
The use of high altitude nuclear explosions to destroy satellites was considered after the tests of the first conventional missile systems in the 1960s.
The analyst said China could protect its retaliatory forces because it could destroy satellites in space.
Some test firings have been successful in destroying orbiting satellites.
With far less power, lasers can destroy or impair satellites, which are more fragile than hardened missiles and warheads.
Experts say continued increases in space junk could dramatically heighten the risk of collisions that could destroy satellites and manned spacecraft.
Bright Star wasn't built to destroy satellites, Colonel.
The test would be a step toward perfecting a weapon that could destroy satellites in war, an ability the Pentagon increasingly wants as orbital spies multiply.
Ravage a new business style-job, and Tiana destroying old satellites to follow a 'one up, one down' law.