[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by UnderseaLcpl

It's cluttered, but hardly in any danger of filling up. Even if we had a satellite in every geosynchronius orbital point, without taking into account the satellites that we decommmision and replace with better satellites, we'd be fine.

its not just the physical space, its also the radio frequencies. For each freq band there are only 180 slots.

Physically there are about a thousand slots in GSO.

Scoff if you like, but it will be the private sector that defines and expands space exploration and exploitation, as it always has been. Governments squander vast amounts of time and resources screwing around in space to discover the mysteries behind dead, useless rocks and stuff that is so damn far away that it will never be of any practical use. Worthless as their efforts are, they can occasionally be co-opted for some kind of productive use, though the occasions are few and far between.

Dead rocks?
Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Europa, Io, and Titan are all tectonically or atmospherically active.
Useless rocks?
Asteroids are a source of heavy elements (Gold, platinum, uranium etc) we have not begun to tap. The Gas Giants are a source of lighter elements (H and He with whatever # you want after it) we have not begun to tap, if/when we get a working fusion reactor the outer planets will be a never ending source of fuel for them.

It's pretty awesome. It's also pretty useless, for reasons described in the article. Space superiority is a nice ideal for any nation, but it just doesn't work, at least for now. The resources required to maintain a network of space battlestations, whether automated or manned, are entirely too steep. There's also the consideration of other nations' reactions. Being able to bomb any location on the planet really doesn't mean much if everyone hates you and won't trade with you or seeks to undermine you because you're threatning them from orbit. The time will come when orbital weapons platforms have a role to play, but it won't be for a while yet.

Much like other weapons the time will come for them when one side makes an effort to field them. No one wanted to field large numbers of submarines when they first became practical but they had no choice, it was a weapon that other nations fielded so they must as well. Aircraft were not a weapon anyone considered important, now every branch of the service has them.

What resources are required to maintain an automated space platform? A sat dish and a computer?

Also the capabilities of a space based battle station make great counter balances to other forces, and could replace many earth bound weapons in a nations arsenal.

Plus is awesome to threaten someone with a "Fully armed and operational battle-station".