Star Wars Update.

After China's own missile shootdown of Fengyun-1C weather satellite about 500 miles from Earth in January 2007, the United States responded by shooting one of its onw satellites, 150 miles from earth, by a aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. Experts explanations for the action focus on showing the Chinese who's boss because "we're showing them not only that we can shoot down a satellite in a test without creating a lot of debris like they did. But we're also showing them we can do it any place in the world, because we're doing it from the ocean." (Coyle said)

Some experts (Everett Dolman, a professor of comparative military studies at Maxwell Air Force Base.) saw the demonstration as a crucial step by the U.S. to ensure its military and political dominance if a space arms race becomes inevitable. John Pike, a military and security analyst who runs the highly regarded website Global Security.org, believes the shootdown has no implications regarding the space arms race. Pike added: . "The Americans, I believe, have a covert unacknowledged space-based anti-missile system that they may start testing in about five years." Although the Obama administration did ban the missile defense project, what future weapons we might be developing and what strategic plan we have for space remains to be seen.