Star Wars is officially playing out in low Earth orbit. A new Reuters report shows the US and China turning space into a contested domain. Secret spaceplanes. Maneuverable hunter satellites. Research into capture systems, including nets. We are still far from Death Stars or X-Wings, but the race for dominance is real. Expect both sides to burn absurd amounts of cash to stay ahead. The threat goes way beyond the military. Modern trade runs on satellite clocks. Knock them out, and global commerce bleeds billions a day as supply chains stall, flights ground, and banking systems slow to a crawl. This isn't about peaceful exploration or the United Federation of Planets anymore. It's about who locks down the ultimate high ground and becomes the next galactic empire.(Lark Davis)