: The US Air Force held its first large-scale computer-simulated wargames involving space forces last January. The scenarios focused on wars and crises in 2017 and had some startling results:

@ The Good News: Space-based recon and intelligence satellites (with projected new capabilities) were so good that the US was able to detect enemy moves and deter conflicts before they started.

@ The Bad News: Knowing the above, the enemy had no choice (if he wanted freedom of action) other than to start by knocking out US space capabilities. The US will need to consider putting more satellites into higher orbits and hardening them to resist beam weapons. 

@ The Ugly News: Commercial space-launch facilities will break the US monopoly on advanced space-based systems, giving other nations access to the kinds of force-multiplying technology that the US has enjoyed so far.--Stephen V Cole