A once-distant threat arrives: How Russia, China could use anti-satellite weapons in war

The threat posed by anti-satellite weapons has been steadily approaching, in plain view of everyone, for decades. But as demonstrated by the near-panic that engulfed official Washington last week amid reports the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin may try to put a nuclear anti-satellite weapon in space, there is a growing fear in national security circles that a dangerous confluence of events is taking shape now.