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WHEN Sputnik was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, the US feared that whoever ruled space would rule the world. In this way, the space race was born.

Today, the American military exploits space more than that of any other nation, relying on satellites to guide its missiles, provide reconnaissance and relay communications. But this high dependence makes it particularly vulnerable to the fallout of any conflict in space.

Other countries should be worried, too: even if their militaries are not as dependent on satellites, they make use of them for positioning, weather forecasts and communications.

In any case,…

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